Silent Hero in Emerald
by minnichi
Summary: Dai Li agents do not question their rules. Those who threaten the balance of Ba Sing Se must be eliminated at once...though it's still a little difficult for one agent to obey when the rules decide to silence the love of his life.
1. The Peace Orator

Sorry that this fic doesn't really focus on any of the characters we all know and love :X I know that FFnet isn't much of an OC base, but I created this story because I happen to love the Dai Li. Anddd the only way to have a story about the Dai Li is to create OCs. I always wished the show had a complete character from the organization, or at least an agent with a freaking name. I wanted a complex story, and when I couldn't really find one anywhere I just decided to do it myself. Hopefully making real people out of those totally cool guys in fancy robes and hats. If you're giving this a try, though, you have my gratitude and appreciation forever! Hopefully you find the OCs as lovable as I do.

But anyway, here's a first attempt from me. Let's see how it goes...

* * *

><p><em>One must not forget those who risked their lives to guide Avatar Aang in his journey to restore balance to the world. Countless individuals, from kings, priests, soldiers, merchants, to peasants, faced the wrath of the Fire Nation with remarkable courage. Some were imprisoned. Some were tormented. Some lost everything…including their lives.<em>

_Sworn to obedience and taught to disregard emotion since childhood, gifted with wonderful and terrible capabilities to manipulate the earth…a crowd of identical, grave, and silent assassins bore their vacant faces like masks. _

_Beneath the mask, however, one soul ached with emotion. One soldier abandoned the rest of the clones, abandoned all reason and logic...and he, too, eventually joined the sea of souls who lent their hands and hopes to Avatar Aang. _

_But hope could not explain the impossible betrayal of a Dai Li agent. Many failed to understand the spontaneous turn of events. The dissenter never understood it himself. _

_He only knew the bleeding of his heart, and how to stop it. _

...

"There is no war in Ba Sing Se."

"THERE IS NO WAR IN BA SING SE." The cold, grey walls of the dreary chamber echoed with the drones of a hundred voices.

"There is no war within the walls." A single, thoroughly trained voice cut through the damp air a few seconds before the rest. Its smooth, captivating tone displayed several years of experience and unmistakable command.

"THERE IS NO WAR WITHIN THE WALLS." One hundred pairs of eyes stared after a glowing, orb-like lantern that screeched slightly as it circled across a thick, rusty rail.

"Here, we are safe."

"HERE, WE ARE SAFE."

Yuhan stifled a sigh and strained to resist covering his ears. The "Conspiracy Resistance," as named by the Dai Li, had struck with a rather large force this time. It had taken almost every agent in the city to break the riot, to reassure the commoners of their safety - to silence Ba Sing Se once more. It had taken even longer to drag the struggling bodies beneath the shadows of Lake Laogai.

Tonight, Yuhan was (as always) the unlucky nominee for Peace Orator. He'd learned to accept that the other agents liked nominating him in particular, for he typically obeyed commands without complaint and with remarkable courtesy, even for Long Feng's most trivial requests. Some were appreciative of his willingness to take their place, while others smugly assumed that he'd be polite about it anyway; either way, he was always nominated. Of course, this agent didn't _enjoy_ holding a 203 record for delivering the anti-war speech to countless civilians. It was simply in his belief that he should be appreciative of his highly esteemed position and show his respect to his leaders and fellow members - even if that respect sometimes took the lives of innocents.

…But they _weren't_ innocent, he reminded himself. If those people were left untouched, Ba Sing Se would fall into chaos and turmoil…Yuhan shook his head. As usual, the Dai Li's reasoning behind its brainwashing only barely provided enough incentive to stand here in front of Ba Sing Se's bold civilians. To stand here, and force the words from his throat into theirs.

"Here…we are...are…" The young orator suddenly let out a long, drawn out yawn. Startled at himself, he quickly clasped his hands over his mouth.

It was too late.

"HERE, WE ARE, ARE…_AAAAAUUUUUUUOOWWWHH!" _The chamber rang horrifyingly loud with the unnatural, recited noise. The rotating lantern stopped dead in its tracks while the rebels stood in confused, zombie-like silence.

Long Feng came storming in immediately. "Just _what_ do you think you're doing?" he demanded. The creases in his naturally cross face seemed to dig even deeper and more terrifyingly than usual.

Yuhan grabbed nervously at the folds of his emerald-colored sleeves, his dark green eyes flickering with panic for the briefest moment. _I'm dead. _Swallowing a gulp, he barely managed to mutter, "I-I'm very sorry, sir. Please forgive me - I'm tolerating my lack of rest very poorly, and it is difficult for me at this hour to -" A snarl started forming on the peeved leader's face. "- but I understand that I must perform my duties to the highest standards of the Dai Li, regardless of the circumstances," the Peace Orator quickly added, his voice automatically taking on a respectful, confident tone. "It was unacceptable for me to let my personal needs interfere with those of our organization, and I only hope that you will pardon me for my failure to recite my speech with poise and clarity. I assure you that it will not happen again." _If I even live to see it happen again..._He knelt to the cracked, stone floor and bowed, holding his breath.

Miraculously, Long Feng's expression softened into something that almost resembled a smile. "I was somewhat startled of your fault today, for minor faults appear to me like earthquakes when they originate from someone of your character." His simple tone was as detached as ever, but anyone who knew the Grand Secretariat would've taken the dull compliment over his usual threats any day. "Your commitment to the Dai Li is commendable without question, and thus I am confident that you will not repeat this mistake. You may rise."

"Thank you, sir." Yuhan let out a great sigh of relief as he straightened himself back up, watching the retreating figure of his leader disappear back into the shadows. Turning around to face the crowd of rebels, still standing and staring like awkward statues, he almost sighed again.

"…There is no war in Ba Sing Se."

O/O

At 5am, the tired Orator plopped face-first into his mattress, still in uniform. The familiar room was the same one assigned to him since the day he'd joined the Dai Li years ago. Everything was stone, and everything was green. The thick mattress rested upon a high rectangular platform of stone against a corner of the wall, draped with silk sage sheets and a thicker, forest green blanket. Across the small room was a simple, perfectly rectangular desk, appearing to grow from the same smooth stone as the wall itself. The chair was a flat pillar jutting from the ground, which Yuhan could easily manipulate if he wanted to move it elsewhere. Next to a small pile of Earthbending scrolls and psychology books, a jagged piece of rock was mounted on the desk, yielding a couple of brightly glowing green crystals. These mysterious, ever-glowing minerals had been taken from the catacombs of Old Ba Sing Se and served as effective lanterns within the pitch darkness of the lake. Their brightness irritated Yuhan at the moment, who drowsily reached over and threw his cone-shaped hat over them. The light was diminished, and he dug his face deep into a dull green pillow. All the aches in his body that he'd ignored earlier seemed to come to life at once, and it took several moments before the soothing effects of the mattress finally sank in.

It had taken four more rounds of the anti-war speech to get the cursed yawn out of the rebels' memories. But still, the tired agent had to admit that he'd done a good job. He almost felt proud for still being able to pull it off and for successfully converting over a hundred rebels. And at the end of the day, he was still in Long Feng's good favors. Yuhan deserved this rest. His eyes grew heavy, and his mind began drifting off into slumber.

A loud moan from somewhere outside his room startled the agent back awake. Irritated, he rolled over and pulled a few specially prepared rags from his pockets, stuffing them into his ears. _Another difficult prisoner…I'll never get why they'd put the cells _right_ across from the sleeping quarters..._

A sudden image flashed somewhere between his disgruntled thoughts. A distorted figure spoke within the brief vision. Its body was hazy and indistinguishable, but its dark, wrinkled face was clearly twisted in a deep and terrifying fury. _"You'll pay for everything you did one day. I swear…you're going to burn to the ground..." _

Yuhan cringed. Curling up on his mattress, he tried to focus his mind back on the comforts of his much needed rest and on the kinds of errands Long Feng might force upon him in a few hours.

Somewhere deep within the crevices of his heart, the sleep-deprived agent knew that everything around him was terribly wrong. He'd hidden away this awareness long ago, focusing instead on what he was told to do and keeping his family's honor. Still, the awareness would leak out in little streams when his mind was most unstable, during the pause between consciousness and sleep. But, as a devoted agent, Yuhan always managed to chain it back down in the end. Most of it.

_I'm more fortunate than the majority of Ba Sing Se's people, _he assured himself for the thousandth time._ I should be happy that I'm so respected and treated well by citizens, the Dai Li, and even Long Feng. My parents are well. The city is at peace. There's nothing to worry about. No one I care about is getting hurt..._Yuhan drifted into an uneasy sleep. Would those words hold true forever?

O/O

"_My son! MY son, has been requested to join the Dai Li! I always knew that Ba Sing Se couldn't ignore his Earthbending for long! Didn't I always say that he's got talent? Just picture it - Yuhan, the protector of our walls! The elite keeper of peace! Happiest day of my life, I tell you…"_

_An adolescent Yuhan covered his face as his father, tears streaming down his aged face, waved the gold and emerald-trimmed letter around the whole shop. Due to the man's outburst, a small crowd had gathered around to congratulate the boy and shake his hand, and some children even requested autographs. He forced a modest smile, throwing out some excuse about "picking up his uniform" while backing slowly towards the door. Honestly, he didn't even know what he'd done to be chosen by the Dai Li. All he knew was that it was a very hard thing to accomplish, even if he couldn't figure it out. Should he be proud?_

"_Just look at the designs on this thing!" His father was still obsessing over the elegant scroll, the summon from the mysterious organization. The crowd shifted their attention back to the letter, racing to look at it more closely and to hold it in their hands. The young recruit took this chance to slip quietly out of the shop, retreating into the back alley. He leaned against the dusty wall outside and exhaled._

_Yuhan nearly jumped when a cold, bitter voice pierced the brief silence._

"_So, you're going to add new bars to the prison of Ba Sing Se…You must be proud." An old, ragged man had been sitting against the wall a few feet away. The tattered remains of a faded brown robe hung over his shoulder like a toga, revealing the dark skin of his bony chest. His long, dirty grey hair hung before his eyes but could not hide the horrible scars that marred his face. One of his cheekbones looked oddly out of place as he spoke. Yuhan felt an uneasiness forming within his gut as he looked down at that face. He almost asked about the injury, but the old man spoke up again, his black eyes flashing dangerously. "The Dai Li are quite something…" he remarked dangerously. One hand lifted to touch the distorted cheekbone. Yuhan swallowed. "I hope you enjoy yourself in there, boy. It must be so much fun prancing around the kingdom in fancy outfits, forcing everyone to worship you…" The old man appeared to be talking to himself now. "I swear, one day it's all going to come back to them. They'll pay for taking Yuki from me...They'll all burn to the ground for what they -"_

_CRUNCH._

_Yuhan nearly screamed, staring in horror as the frail body of the old man suddenly flew 20 feet down the walkway with unnatural speed, flipping and crashing against the dirt. He twisted in agony on the ground, clutching aimlessly at the now crushed bones of his face. His skeleton arms waved about his head in twitch-like motions before dropping to the ground, sending up small clouds of dust. Yuhan gaped at the sight of a single, carefully aimed slab of stone that now lay a few feet from the elderly man's head. The young recruit let out a cry of dismay and bolted towards the broken body, his own head spinning._

_A sudden force wrenched his body out of the air, wheeling him backwards. Struggling and kicking against the dirt, Yuhan angrily pushed himself forward without considering what had stopped him. He struggled to reach towards the old man in the distance, whose body was beginning to look dreadfully still. The harder he tried, the harder he felt cold, hard fingers pinning his wrist to the ground as he reached out._

"_Leave him." Yuhan twisted upwards to face the direction of a new and frightfully calm voice. He immediately froze upon sight of long, emerald robes and a pointed hat of the same color._

"_I deeply apologize that we had to meet this way. We're lucky not to have any passerby's around, though. I will explain what you have just seen very shortly." The agent slightly lifted his arms, spreading out his fingers. Several tiny pieces of rock flew to cover his hands completely, like gloves. Yuhan suddenly realized that the stone hands had been holding him down this whole time. He looked remorsefully at the limp figure of the old man, then up at his new acquaintance, whose arm was now outstretched towards him. Yuhan reluctantly grasped the stone-covered fingers, allowing himself to be helped back to his feet._

"_Try not to__ think too much on this - It'll all make sense soon. Yuhan, was it? Good to have you in the Dai Li, kid."_


	2. Old Friends

I promised myself that I wouldn't write another chapter because I'm busy as hell at school D: But I couldn't resist! Sleep deprivation, here I come. Totally worth it though ;)

Dunno if you noticed, but I changed the summary x_x for some reason it's impossible to write compared to the story...sorry about that. Just in case you noticed ^^ Anyway, Here's Chapter 2...or 3...idk lol

* * *

><p>Yuhan rubbed his aching eyes as he crawled sluggishly up the tunnel leading out of the Dai Li headquarters. With a sharp wave of his hand, the circular entrance slid open. A massive gush of water instantly slapped his face, flowing into his eyes, mouth, and nostrils. Coughing and sputtering angrily while clinging to the ladder for support, the young agent violently kicked his boot into the wall, and the entrance slammed shut. Another murderous stamp sent a platform springing out below him, blocking the water from flowing further down the tunnel. He threw both arms forward, rooting his feet into the platform and extending the tunnel so that he and the watersealed entrance complex sailed upwards, emerging from the surface of Lake Laogai. Kicking the stone door out of his way, Yuhan finally marched onto shore. After a few dismissive but crisp hand motions, the trapped water was drained from the tunnel, and the entrance rearranged into its original shape, sinking back beneath the lake.

Scowling, the young Orator began to trudge towards the Lower Ring of Ba Sing Se. It was the first time in several years that anyone had opened the tunnel too early upon exiting Lake Laogai. Any Earthbender should have been able to sense the immediate lack of water resistance on the ground he was manipulating as soon as it hit the air. That an agent of the elite Dai Li would make such a mistake was unheard of – unless they happened to be fatigued, grouchy, and half-conscious agents like Yuhan.

The sun was blinding, searing his eyes even under the brim of his hat. The water that had drowned them earlier certainly didn't provide much ease, either. _Focus, Yuhan, focus. The water will dry out soon. Just get Long Feng's cursed tea and you're done…_the tired agent normally tried not to think badly of the Cultural Minister, but the interruption of his 3-hour rest for some random cup of exotic tea somewhere deep within the city made it _very…_difficult. Yuhan would not elaborate further.

O/O

Three hours later, the sleep-deprived agent headed back towards the Inner Wall in a spare uniform, carrying the soggy remains of his original one. Relieved that Long Feng had actually believed his story about being splashed by a carriage riding across a large puddle, he planned to drop off the muddy uniform in the Upper Ring for the Dai Li's private seamstresses to clean.

Though the bright sun made him sweat beneath his thick robes and reduced his sore eyes to a tiny squint, Yuhan (as well as every other agent) was not allowed onto the trains, due to his leader's preference "not to be acquainted with those dirty refugees" that rode them. Animals weren't allowed to infect the clean facilities beneath the lake, either, so using them for travel was a lost cause. Long Feng figured that walking long distances was good endurance training for his agents, anyway – not that he himself needed it, of course. Determined not to reflect on any negativity about the Dai Li, however, Yuhan dragged himself across the wide, agrarian fields as peacefully as he could. He recognized a loud, boisterous voice calling out to him at once.

"YUHAN! Buddy! What're you doing out here in the _sun? _You finally ran out of rebels to convert?" A second agent obnoxiously made his way towards Yuhan (and only this agent in particular made it possible to walk 'obnoxiously').

The Peace Orator managed to chuckle slightly, despite his tiring morning. "Oh c'mon Hiroshu, give me _some _credit. I go out here all the time! ...Just not when you're looking."

"Whatever you say, buddy." Hiroshu grinned, catching up to Yuhan and giving him a hard pat on the back. "But seriously, you should really take more time off. I mean sure, it must rock to be Long Feng's favorite errand boy (Yuhan shot him a glare), but we all feel kind of bad seeing how it's so harsh on you."

The tired agent scoffed. "Maybe _you _feel bad. The other agents have no problem advertising me to Long Feng whenever the resistance acts up again." He suddenly folded an arm out in front of him as if in preparation for a bow, with an exaggerated smile stretching across his face. "'_Oh but _sir_, Yuhan does a much better job of brainwashing than me! Have you seen the results?'" _Hiroshu seemed quite amused by the imitation. _"'I don't want to fail you, so it's better for both of us if you choose him! Goodbye!"' _Yuhan's pale face suddenly reverted back to its dull, usual grumpiness."They're all lazy!" he scowled.

"I'll say!" Hiroshu agreed, although it seemed as if he hoped Yuhan wasn't referring to him in particular.

After a split second though, the tired agent suddenly thought twice and let out a sigh, heaving his shoulders. "Well…then again, no one really likes to do all that brainwashing junk," he muttered. "I guess it'd be a little selfish of me to expect them to do it instead."

Hiroshu slapped his forehead. "Anddd ladies and gentlemen, that's why Yuhan never sees the light of day!" he announced.

"Oh, shut up..."

"Well, I _did_ ask you a couple of times if you needed a break," Hiroshu continued, unfazed. "You said _I _looked too tired when you could barely open your panda eyes!" He smirked as his partner unconsciously felt at the gloomy shadows beneath his dark green eyes, which had indeed begun to resemble a certain bear.

"…You wouldn't have lasted," Yuhan retorted, deciding to ignore his haggard appearance.

"Oh, because you were so much more energized?"

"I wasn't the one who fell asleep in the middle of a recitation."

"But you did yawn like a boarsloth," Hiroshu finished with a smug smile.

Yuhan had to resist slapping a hand over his own face. Even _gossip_ in the Dai Li was a pain these days. "Whatever! _Not _the point!"

The two patrol partners quickly laughed at the ridiculousness of their debate as they conversed along the road to the Upper Ring, taking a shortcut that didn't require passing through the lower rings. Hiroshu was Yuhan's first companion among the Dai Li, as well as the first agent he'd ever met formally. He always had an animated, cheerful air about him, often contrasting sharply with Yuhan's generally silent and sleepy character. He was also noted for his classy appearance, despite an identical uniform. His light brown hair was carefully combed and plaited evenly in the back, and his dark robes seemed to highlight the healthy glow of his tanned skin. In addition, he was known for his bright, sage green eyes and for his charm among the ladies of Ba Sing Se; Yuhan was known for his ghoulish eye shadows and mellow nature. No one in the organization really knew how the two got along.

"Taking a visit to the seamstress?" Hiroshu asked casually, motioning towards the damp green pile of cloth in Yuhan's arms.

"_Hmmm_, what could I possibly be carrying around a stained uniform for?" the grouchy agent immediately shot back.

"Well alright, geez! How'd that happen anyway?"

Yuhan paused. "…A carriage randomly rushed past me while I was getting tea for Long Feng, and there was this huge filthy puddle -"

"Hey, I know you well enough to tell when you're making something up," Hiroshu cut in, a devious grin forming on his face. "It's alright, kid. We all trip into Lake Laogai at some point in our lives." He began to snicker.

Yuhan managed a stiff smile, embarrassed but secretly relieved that his partner didn't suspect him of actually opening the tunnel too early. "Yeah…I was tired," he mumbled, quickly brushing aside his friends' resulting burst of laughter. "And for the last time, why do you always try to call me _kid?_" he suddenly demanded. "You're only two years older."

The cheery agent put on a rather conceited smile. "You really want to go through this again?" he began, ignoring the icy pair of eyes glaring back at him. "_Well_ buddy, no matter what you say, you looked kiddish enough when I caught you skipping after that crazy old geezer back then." Hiroshu grinned again as he observed his partner's brow twitching a little. "You didn't even Earthbend or anything when I stopped you. _Obviously_ I looked older and intimidating," he finished triumphantly, barely dodging a pebble that Yuhan had kicked towards his face.

Hiroshu was indeed the agent who'd taken the life of the frail old man that haunted Yuhan's memories. However, he was actually more patient and amiable than most of the organization. The assassination had been a direct order from Long Feng – and like most of his commands, failure to carry through would result in unimaginable punishment. Though both of them feared that punishment, Yuhan had a nasty feeling that his partner didn't hurl the boulder entirely based on that fear. Still, the important part was that he was a friend Yuhan could always count on…right? "Ah whatever, you probably just wanted to look better than _someone_, seeing as you were probably the newbie among the other agents," the younger agent retorted.

"Newbie? I was recruited a whole _month_ before you!" Hiroshu exclaimed, as if one month was the equivalent of a thousand years. "I had all the rules and rock glove-bending down already!"

"Sure, sure, keep telling yourself more reasons why a 16-year-old can _totally _be considered pro and mature to a 14-year-old."

"Your wimpy attitude sure made it convincing enough."

There was a pause. "Oh give it a rest, Hiroshu…It's been seven years and we're still getting nowhere with this," Yuhan muttered, stepping ahead of his partner as they walked.

"You still lose, _kid._"

O/O

The two old friends had been traveling for almost an hour in the blazing heat, and the lush, green hills they crossed offered no trees for shade. Hiroshu pulled off his hat to wipe away beads of sweat from his forehead with a sleeve, regretting his decision not to try sneaking onto the train earlier. "How far away is the seamstress now?" he complained. "I'm tired!"

Yuhan rubbed his own weary eyes. "Oh, probably about five more miles," he replied casually. Ba Sing Se's enormous size was very inconvenient indeed.

"HOLY SPIRITS!" Hiroshu kicked up a small pillar from the ground, slumping himself down upon it. "We should call it quits."

Yuhan glared and thrust his now foul-smelling uniform in front of his friend's face.

Hiroshu grimaced from the odor. "We can just get someone else to deliver that!" he quickly added, waving his hand dismissively in an attempt to ward off the smell. "I'm thirsty anyway. We should go have tea or something."

"Just _who _would be kind enough to take my ugly and smelly uniform to a seamstress shop five miles away?" the sleep-deprived agent asked irritably, motioning at the vacant fields around them. He should've seen this coming...

"Uh…_oh,_ she can!"

Ironically, a yellow figure in the distance had appeared out of nowhere, and Hiroshu pointed enthusiastically at it as he spoke. "Hey, Joo Dee!" he yelled. "Want to take Yuhan's uniform to the Dai Li seamstress in the Upper Ring?"

The slender woman's face was marked with surprise for a split second at the sound of her name, but she instantly smiled upon recognition of her addressor. Yuhan shivered at the sight of her wide, creepy grin. Her long, unnaturally straight black hair and giant brown eyes only seemed to make it worse."It is an honor and pleasure to see you here, Agent Leung." Turning to the Peace Orator with the same plastered expression, she acknowledged him by surname as well. "Agent Tsen." Joo Dee (Yuhan didn't know her real name) bowed. "I would be more than happy to assist you," she began graciously, "but I'm afraid that I must tend to an appointment with some new refugees who have just arrived in -"

"Joo Dee, the Earth King has invited you to Lake Laogai," Hiroshu interrupted, causing the tour guide to freeze solid. "Uh, please deliver my friend's uniform." He smiled brightly. Yuhan's eyes narrowed dangerously as his partner shrugged sheepishly at him.

"I am honored to accept his invitation," replied Joo Dee's robotic voice. Immediately, she wrenched the soggy uniform from Yuhan's arms and had disappeared down the grassy road before he knew it.

Glowering, the tired agent wheeled around to face Hiroshu. "_Really?" _

"What? Come on, you're the only Dai Li agent who ever throws fits over stuff like this. You brainwash all the time! It's not like you're one to talk."

"That's different...!" Something in Yuhan's stomach twisted. _Was it different?_ He stubbornly continued anyway. "Those people actually affect more than just us! They'd tear apart the whole city if I didn't convert them!" His partner watched him glumly. "This - this was something I should have done myself because it was _my _problem! I don't brainwash out of my own interests, Hiroshu!" the Orator finished angrily. _Do I?_

The older agent sighed exasperatingly. This wasn't the first time the two had argued about the topic. "Alright, I'll try not to do it around you anymore," he groaned. "Sorry about that." His partner gave a short nod. "But…" Hiroshu continued in self-justification, "the point is that we're free now! (Yuhan rolled his eyes) You really need this day off, and I'm feeling like having a nice, long drink. You up for it?"

"Sure." Yuhan shrugged. Hiroshu was just being Hiroshu, after all.

"Hey, where did Long Feng tell you to get that ultra exotic tea of his from?"

O/O

Though the brew of this small shop in the Lower Ring was famous for its wonderful qualities, the person serving it to Yuhan certainly wasn't. The boy looked about four or five years younger than him, but wore a scowling expression almost as furious as Long Feng in the worst of moods...or maybe even more furious. "Have a good afternoon, gentlemen..." he muttered, throwing down two steaming cups of tea before the patrol partners and storming away. Some onlookers appeared as though they couldn't decide which was weirder: that two Dai Li agents were casually hanging out in a poor tea shop, or that said agents didn't seem to react at all to such a blatant show of disrespect.

"What happened to _him _today?" Hiroshu remarked, taking his cup into his stony fingers as he watched the boy's angry figure stride away.

"Uh in case you didn't notice, he's missing practically half his face, Hiroshu," his partner replied dully. There were too many onlookers for his liking - not to mention he could already tell that some of them were glaring members of the Resistance. He swirled around the little bits of leaves in his cup uncomfortably before finally deciding to drink, only out of his concerns for wasting money.

"Well, of course I did!" Hiroshu retorted indignantly. He paused. "...So, that means...?"

"What, you think the Dai Li did that?" Yuhan replied even more drearily. He observed the young tea server marching around to other tables, the distorted red flesh around his left eye only worsening his enraged appearance. "If anything, it's another 'Fire Nation killed my whole family and left me with a horrible scar' situation," he continued, unable to help feeling a slight twinge of pity. "Must be pretty rough on him. I've never seen a burn that bad and that _obvious_ before." He made sure to keep his voice low so that the surrounding peasants wouldn't overhear.

"But wouldn't he be with the Conspiracy Resistance if he's been attacked by the Fire Nation that badly?" choked Hiroshu, having suffered the consequences of talking and drinking at the same time.

"Well…he's not really saying anything for some reason," Yuhan sighed, warily eyeing his partner sputtering over the hot tea (which only attracted the eyes of even more onlookers). He considered denying his acquaintance with Hiroshu for a moment. "I've never seen him in headquarters before," he continued anyway. "But oh well, he's probably just miserable about what happened to his face, whatever it was."

The dull conversation eventually died out, and Hiroshu recovered soon enough. The two partners sipped their tea, quickly forgetting about the scarred and angry boy.

Yuhan, as a devoted agent, kept an eye out for any war refugees who might bring up the Fire Nation, but Hiroshu only seemed to be focused on his drink as if it were the nectar of life. "Wow, this _is _good!" remarked the cheery agent, desperately trying to empty the miniscule, remaining drops of tea into his mouth. However, his partner had long stopped paying attention.

A few tables down, a small group of angry men - angry and _drunk _men - surrounded a single girl, who looked quite furious herself. Yuhan, who'd been observing the scene for some time, had no idea how she even got herself into that situation. A few moments ago she'd been sitting quietly at her lone table, enjoying tea like everyone else. He'd turned his head elsewhere for what seemed like a split second, and looked back only to find her randomly arguing with a bunch of brutes. To make things even better, they were arguing about _that_.

"You actually think they protect you?" One of the rather large men slammed his massive fist onto the table. "It's all part of a conspiracy, and stupid people like you are playing right into their hands! I bet you've never even been outside the walls of this city! You know what's out there? You really want to know?" The girl only glared back at him with remarkable ferocity.

There was something eerily familiar about the rich brown color of her long hair that disturbed the young Orator, but he ignored it. What truly mattered was that those drunken blockheads were about to mention something very forbidden. "Hiroshu…" he muttered. "I think we should go check that out."

His partner, who'd been reading the tea menu for a second order this whole time, looked up in confusion. Realization dampened his expression when a fuming voice pierced the air. _"WE'RE AT WAR WITH THE FIRE NATION, YOU IDIOT!"_

Sighing, Hiroshu laid down his menu. "Alright, I'm up…"


	3. Tea House Scuffles

For some reason I'm on a writing rampage right now, using time I really don't have x) I think it'll slow down after these next two parts, though. I'm most excited about writing this section! :D

Thanks so much to those who left their kind comments. Makes me feel a lil more confident about this…I kinda jumped in without really thinking haha and now it's really hitting me that thousands of people can see what I write :X

Nervous as I am, though, I'm just having so much fun :) Behold!

* * *

><p>The patrol partners stood up swiftly and stiffened their stances into the typical Dai Li pose. Personally, they both thought that marching around with their hands hidden in their sleeves and clasped behind their backs only made them look ridiculous and conceited, but Long Feng insisted that it was an authoritative show of their "highly esteemed presence" around commoners. The two friends privately agreed that the peasants were probably more concerned with their lethal Earthbending than any trademark pose, but of course they had to comply anyway.<p>

Yuhan and Hiroshu strode towards the bickering table as synchronized as they could manage, straining to keep their faces devoid of emotion. The onlookers began to watch them with fear rather than their earlier curiosity, having recognized the stiff and mechanical movements immediately.

The large, drunk man who'd slammed his fist had apparently begun to lose it. His clouded grey eyes were wild as he reached forward towards the girl, muttering some vile threat. His equally intoxicated friends didn't bother stopping him. The young woman, who appeared excessively thin and tiny in comparison, soon realized the danger of his growing malice. She slowly began to back away in her chair, fearfully eyeing the enormous hand that moved closer and closer to her neck.

The two agents stopped abruptly behind the large man before he could go any further. He paused, having sensed the sudden presence when all of his friends turned in surprise. Hiroshu elbowed Yuhan. Yuhan elbowed him back. The girl watched them with a peculiar gaze, which the young Orator found very unsettling for some reason. An awkward silence began creeping upon the table as the peasants all shifted their attention to them.

Yuhan cleared his throat irritably, flickering a glare at his partner. "Is there a problem here?"

The fat peasant slowly turned around. He appeared to be sickened by the very sound of his addressor's voice. "As a matter of fact, there is," he replied icily. He glared straight into Yuhan's eyes with deep hatred.

It was hard to ignore the death stare. This guy would probably be very troublesome to convert down at headquarters. "From what I've observed, I understand that you are attempting to terrorize an innocent woman with disturbing stories?" the Peace Orator asked plainly.

At the words "disturbing stories," every face around the table (aside from the girl's) suddenly glowered at Yuhan with eyes like poisoned, black wells.

Hiroshu opened his mouth to speak, but the girl beat him to it, much to everyone's surprise. "_Yes_, they're scaring me to death!" she cried. "They were all harassing and threatening me!" With that, she suddenly sprang up from the table and ran to hide behind Yuhan, clinging onto one of his sleeves and peering at the angry men over his shoulder. Hiroshu raised an eyebrow.

Yuhan felt all of his limbs suddenly lock into place. He loudly cleared his throat, his face feeling strangely warm. "Well then, I guess that leaves us no choice but to arrest all of you," he stated simply, trying his best to ignore it. "Please cooperate, and no one will get hurt."

Of course, things never worked out that way.

"_I'LL SHOW YOU WHO'S GETTING HURT!" _screamed the large man, his greasy black plaid whipping about wildly in his rage. He followed by throwing up a saggy arm and whacking a steaming cup of tea off the table, hurling it straight at Hiroshu's face. The agent smoothly stepped aside, allowing the cup and its contents to splatter across the floor. Yuhan could've sworn that he heard an elderly voice somewhere in the distance cry out "_What a shameful waste!" _as the water hissed and disappeared into the ground, but he focused his attention back on the rampaging group, who'd begun to hurl anything they could find at him. He took a heavy step forward, throwing all his weight into his foot. The ground split open with a deafening crack as a stony wall shot up, shielding him and the young woman just before a chair, flower vase, plate, and chopstick came crashing against it. He was about to rush forward until he felt the girl's fingers still grasping the fabric of his sleeve.

"Ma'am, I'm going to have to ask you to stay under here." Yuhan quickly pushed her (ever so gently) underneath a table, where she sat wide-eyed and trembling, hugging her knees. Most of the other peasants in the shop were doing the same.

After narrowly dodging a couple of more vases, the Peace Orator kicked himself off from the ground, landing swiftly on top of the wall he'd just created in a low crouch. His palms positioned away from each other in a distinct angle, and his rigid stone gloves immediately shot themselves towards the crazy men below. One of the rocky fists grabbed onto the scrawniest man's forearm, pulling him forward and chucking him onto the floor face-first before digging its fingers into the ground around his wrist and melding with the earth. The other glove seized the ankle of the large, fat man who'd started the fight, yanking his leg out from underneath him and causing him to flop onto his back with a ground-shaking impact. Yuhan leapt back down from his wall before the peasants had any time to recover, the bottom of his rock soles hitting the floor with a clang when he landed in a crisp, already prepared stance. He then shot his arms forward with tightened his fists, guiding the sharp impact through the ground. The earth responded immediately, cracking straight up through the dull floor tiles to solidify around his attackers' remaining limbs.

Letting out a long breath, Yuhan finally turned over to see how his partner was holding up.

Hiroshu was taking on the two other drunkards at once, though he seemed to be stalling out of amusement from watching their clumsy fist-swinging. He casually backed away from their blows as they seethed with rage, to the point of reaching his earlier table and picking up his menu again. One of his hands seemed to waft their movements away as he read from the other - until he noticed a murderous pair of sleep-deprived eyes gazing impatiently at him across the room. The momentary pause gave one of the rebels the opportunity to snatch up an unfinished cup of tea outside his notice.

By reflex, Hiroshu quickly held up the thick paper as a makeshift shield right as the steaming liquid splattered in all directions. He twitched a little as a few droplets hissed against the back of his hand...which actually felt nothing, being covered in rock. It was the wide gold trimming of his sleeve that was now infected by a huge, nasty green stain. He examined it irritably for a long moment as the intoxicated men attempted to attack again.

Like lighting, Hiroshu suddenly whipped out his arms. Both of the rebels' faces were met with a crushing stone fist before anyone could blink. Yuhan resisted the urge to sigh as their bodies dropped to the ground like rag dolls. His partner somehow always managed to break at least one nose whenever trouble stirred up.

O/O

The two agents looked awkwardly around at the debris covering the entire tea shop as the rebels continued yelling and trying uselessly to free their limbs. On the bright side, though, it could've been worse if those men had been benders. The girl crept back out from under her table, returning to Yuhan's side and – he immediately stiffened – grabbing onto his left sleeve again. He made sure to keep his hands rigidly folded behind his back.

Her voice came out rather shakily, but triumphant. "You see?" She glared down at the half-conscious fat peasant. "They do protect us!" Yuhan found himself unable to say anything. He pulled his hat lower to cover his eyes, hoping that the young woman would never recognize him again.

The other peasants silently emerged from beneath the tables as well, carefully avoiding the bits of broken glass on the floor as they stepped forward. Hiroshu found the owner of the tea shop sitting waveringly in a small corner. Bending down to face him, he pulled some money from within his pockets. "Uh, here…3 gold pieces. That oughta fix your place up."

The skinny old man nodded hastily, nervously taking the coins into his hands.

"Well…er, everything's all right now," Yuhan announced uncomfortably. As he spoke, he took note of a second, fatter old man and the scarred angry boy emerging from their hiding place in back of the shop. "Oh, and I should get rid of this for you..." He shot an arm towards the floor with his palm parallel to the ground. The random wall he'd placed in the middle of the shop earlier rumbled back down.

_Why won't she let go already...? _Yuhan was relieved to see two more Dai Li agents stepping through the entrance. They hardly greeted their fellow members, only nodding a little in acknowledgement as they moved quickly towards the rebels. They'd been on patrol nearby and were just informed of the incident, and a barred carriage was already waiting outside.

Within minutes, the second pair of agents had tossed the men behind the bars and were riding well on their way to Lake Laogai. The peasants remaining in the shop quietly gazed after the retreating carriage.

Hiroshu was the first to break the silence. "Can I still order tea?"

The fat old man smiled brightly. "Why, of course you can!" he exclaimed. "Would you like another menu?" Yuhan recognized the voice as the one agonizing over the spilled cup of tea earlier. Well…he supposed it took that kind of passion to make the shop so famous. He watched his partner follow the old brewer to the back, accompanied by the always-angry boy, and sighed when it occurred to him that the extra weight on his sleeve was still there.

"I believe you're now safe to go wherever you please, Ma'am," Yuhan told her softly. He was kind enough to walk her to the entrance before she finally let go.

The Peace Orator had hidden so much of his face that he could only see the bottom half of hers as she addressed him. Compared to earlier, the young woman's voice was very shy and polite as she spoke. "Thank you so much for saving me today…I'll always appreciate it." She smiled and bowed her head, causing some of her long brown hair to brush the sides of her cheeks.

Yuhan could only reply with a slight nod, keeping his eyes concealed beneath the brim of his hat. Part of him suddenly wished that his main job wasn't to silence anyone who spoke of the war, so that he wouldn't have to feel so strangely...guilty. When he was sure that she'd completely turned her back to him, he finally lifted his face again to look.

The weary agent gazed forlornly as the humble girl began to make her way down the shoddy streets of the Lower Ring. She looked too soft, too painfully _naïve_ in her simple, ragged dress as her quiet footsteps began to fade. Everything around her looked far too dangerous for someone of her nature…including that weird, suspicious-looking guy sitting in the corner. And that creepy old woman crossing the street. And that mohawked freak brandishing a dagger, staring at her with a _very _disturbing gleam in his eyes.

Yuhan didn't know what he was doing. "Hiroshu, I'm gonna head out now!" he yelled back into the shop. His friend, too busy glugging another cup of tea, simply waved his free hand in reply. The Peace Orator strode briskly after the young woman in the distance. She heard his footsteps and turned around, pleasantly surprised.

"Er, the Lower Ring is full of dangerous – well, I saw something that might put you in – (ahem) Would you like me to escort you home today?"


	4. Recognition

Alright, I think I'm finally going to take a break after this chapter. A break as in not writing a new chapter EVERY day, lol. It's been too distracting!

This part ended up a lot longer than I expected. I think I like how it turned out, though. Here goes.

* * *

><p>Yuhan had been trying too hard to avoid the gaze of the sleeve-clinging girl earlier to really get a good look her...well, he still didn't really want to face her, actually. The young agent was still pondering how he even ended up by her side this late afternoon - <em>after<em> she'd already planned to leave for good. _Okay, so I'm escorting a random girl from the Lower Ring.__ Not a big deal...hmmm, except for the part_ _about me having__ three hours of sleep. And the part about me being a Peace Orator who's going to drop dead on the job tonight because he decided to escort a random girl instead of resting. __And the part about Long Feng reviving said Peace Orator just to kill him again for dropping dead during a conversion. __And the part about annoying agents named Hiroshu_ _who'll laugh at the Peace Orator for the rest of his life. _

_NOPE, not a big deal at all! _

Despite his decreasingly sane train of thought, Yuhan couldn't help stealing a few glances at the quiet young woman from beneath his hat whenever she looked away from him. She smiled both shyly and sweetly whenever they spoke - and no matter how terribly hard the Orator tried to ignore it, he had to admit that she looked quite…

Lovely.

Her long, auburn brown hair was simply kept flowing down over her shoulders, parted slightly to the side with a few tresses floating about her face. Her soft eyes were a light hazel, always glimmering as if hiding some distant hope or dream. They seemed to compliment her naturally pale skin very nicely, which actually looked healthy (unlike Yuhan's sun-deprived skin), and she had the slightest flush around the cheeks…

The Peace Orator was ready to slap himself in the face for paying too much attention to this. He already knew that Hiroshu would accuse him of calling _any _woman "lovely" due to his being stuck among only other agents or creepy Joo Dee's almost every night. He was also aware that his tastes may have been crippled by now; those 203 conversions could've gotten to his head over the years. Still, it wasn't as if he'd never been into the city before. There were plenty of other things to fetch Long Feng besides tea...not to mention the sleep-deprived agent preferred to believe in his own sanity, mind you. Sneaking another glance at her just to make sure, though, it occurred to Yuhan that the young woman was considerably thin - most likely due to the common lack of proper nutrition in the Lower Ring. But even that didn't do much to deter from the rest of her charming features, which seemed to create a strange and innocent kind of beauty overall. He felt quite sure of his judgment as he smiled back down at this girl - and the fact that he'd admitted it to himself embarrassed him immensely.

The rays of the red, setting sun flashed upon the two in fragments as they walked beneath the long, shabby lines of clothing strewn about the crumbly buildings. Yuhan finally gave up questioning his random decision to escort the girl, choosing to try making the most out of the situation instead. His thoughts drifted back to the angry mob from earlier. "So how'd you end up becoming such a big fan of the Dai Li, anyway?" he asked. "I was surprised to see you taking on four big and angry guys back at that shop." He almost didn't believe that he was talking to the same person he'd met at the shop, actually. The young woman always seemed to hesitate a few moments before speaking, and she constantly cupped a hand over her mouth whenever she laughed...which only made it quieter than it already was.

"Well..." she began softly. "I–I kind of get angry whenever someone says something that's really cruel and unfair to someone else, and I tend to spit out what's on my mind without really thinking about it." She smiled embarrassingly, fiddling with one her long strands of hair as she walked. "I've seen you guys help out around here a lot," she continued. "I don't know why so many of my neighbors always complain."

Yuhan was silent for a few seconds. _Her__ neighbors are probably refugees… _"What exactly have they been saying about me – er, the Dai Li?" he quickly asked before she could sense his discomfort.

The girl's eyes momentarily flashed with a fury that almost scared the agent. "Lots of horrible things!" she almost scowled, her tone having changed completely. Yuhan stared back. He could already tell that it was best to avoid her bad side at all costs. "Things like being the Earth King's puppeteers, killing people you don't like, a crazy war conspiracy..." she went on, rolling her eyes with exasperation. "A-and for some reason, a lot of people believe this ridiculous idea about you guys being able to _control_ minds or something!"

The Peace Orator barely managed to choke out a hard, unnatural laugh. "Heheh…wow, that _is _pretty crazy. I had no idea." _I only brainwash people every night. _"But I'm surprised you don't believe them even when they all live around you," he somehow managed to remark casually. "Why's that?"

"I've lived here all my life," replied the young woman, her tone still slightly irate. "Almost all of my neighbors came from somewhere outside the walls. I think it's safe for me to say I know my own city better than them," she added righteously. "And like I said, I've _seen _you guys protecting us. Like how you saved me today!"

Yuhan's gaze suddenly fell upon the ground. The other agents, like him, were only protecting the secret of the war with the Fire Nation. Something inside him began to ache, and he found it oddly difficult to ignore. "Oh...I see."

O/O

The two continued their walk in silence through the narrow dirt road between the little houses, which grew tinier and tinier as they moved further. Both of them seemed to be unsure of how to carry a conversation with each other.

Sighing, Yuhan decided that he should at least _try_ making things less awkward. "…You know, I used to live down here too." It was the only thing he could think of saying. He supposed it couldn't hurt if _one_ random person in the huge city knew, anyhow.

The young woman instantly jerked her head up to look at the Orator, whose eyes were still protected under the brim of his hat. "_Really?"_ she asked incredulously.

Yuhan chuckled lightly at the bewildered expression on her face. "Hey, the Dai Li can come from anywhere!" he replied, a little more relaxed. "I was just a dinky poor kid who liked to play with rocks a lot, until I decided one day that I wanted to get out of here and do something more useful." He was taken aback when the girl suddenly looked down. "Oh – not that I didn't like it here or anything, sorry," he quickly threw in. "I lived with my parents in a cozy little shop a few blocks from here – well, they're in the Upper Ring now." The young woman began to smile for a reason that only the Spirits knew. "But anyway," the agent continued awkwardly, "I didn't mean for it to come out like that. It was just one of those times when a boy suddenly wants to see everything the world has to offer, and –"

The girl laughed again, cupping her hand as always. "No no, I'm sorry. I wasn't offended at all! You just reminded me of a friend I used to have long ago. He was one of my only friends, too..." Her eyes became strangely distant as Yuhan's face grew puzzled. "He was always playing earth soccer with his friends down the street, and he'd always beat them too easily," she explained, seemingly unaware of her random reflection. "He kept rambling on about wanting to see the Upper Ring one day and using his earthbending to save people and stuff - he was still upset from losing one of his friends to illness, poor thing..."

Yuhan's head suddenly began to feel a little faint.

"So he got really excited when he heard about the Dai Li..." the girl went on, slowing her pace down with the agent. She wasn't even considering why he'd stopped walking. "Well, I don't know how the Dai Li chooses its members, but I sometimes imagine that he's one of them right now. I guess that makes me more angry when people insult them…" Her voice trailed away. She suddenly seemed to be aware of her surroundings again, coming to with a jolt. "I'm so sorry! This is probably boring you to death." She turned her eyes away embarrassedly.

The Peace Orator didn't answer. He stood unnaturally still, completely rooted to the spot. A moment of silence dragged between the two for several seconds, though the girl was soon lost in her memories again and didn't notice.

__How'd you make that badgermole? Maybe you can teach me how to Woodbend, and I can teach you how to Earthbend.__

_...Woodbend? You mean carving? _

_Yeah yeah, that! _

_Um, I don't think I can move rocks like you, but okay! It's easy._

_Well, so's Earthbending! _

"...Did you ever find out what happened to this friend of yours?" the agent finally mumbled, his voice almost inaudible.

"Oh, I really don't know. I had to move to another division of the Lower Ring, since my parents died from illness too," the young woman replied quietly. "It was so long ago...I was only about seven or eight. I really do hope he made it through in the end, though..." She smiled sadly.

"Was his name…Yuhan, by any chance?"

This time, the girl froze. After several long moments, she began to turn her body back around astonishingly slow, until she was finally looking closely into the face underneath the pointed hat for the first time. "Why do you ask?" she whispered, not daring to believe it.

"Because…" the Dai Li agent whispered back. "I once knew a lonely girl that none of my buddies ever wanted to let play soccer with us since she was a non-bender. I thought that she was pretty fun to talk to, though." The young woman looked like she'd stopped breathing altogether as she continued to stare into his eyes. "She looked kind of like a boy because of her crazy afro, and I thought that was funny," Yuhan continued, a smile slowly stretching across his face. "Then one day she disappeared, and I never knew why. Her name was...Riya." He couldn't help but grin when the girl's eyes widened twice their size and when both of her hands flew up over her mouth, failing to silence the gasp that shook her whole body.

"YUHAN! YOU _DID _MAKE IT!" Riya jumped forward and threw her arms around him, her small body colliding against his. Yuhan was stunned for a moment as his hat flew backwards, the silk sash pulling on his neck. Before he could even respond, however, the girl suddenly realized what she'd just done and quickly jumped back, her face a deep scarlet. The agent scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, his face also reddening. Both of them struggled for a brief moment to make the connection between past and present. Afro Girl had just hugged Soccer Boy. Or rather, Riya of the Lower Ring - who was suddenly a very _pretty _girl, had just embraced Agent Yuhan Tsen of the Dai Li - who was suddenly a whole head taller than her.

...Strange.

Still, the two were ecstatic about their discovery. Yuhan didn't bother to fix his hat.

"Your eyes – WHY didn't I recognize your eyes?" Riya exclaimed, her hands waving about wildly. She'd lost all her shyness from earlier. "Wait, you were covering them with that stupid hat this whole time! _Way to go!_"

"Well hey, that's what Long Feng – he's my leader – always tells us to do!"

"But still! Why didn't _you _say anything?"

"I didn't know who you were, either! _Your _eyes were completely covered by that huge afro back then!" Yuhan ruffled the top of her hair, finding her annoyance at their vast differences in height very amusing.

"Hey, are you saying that was a bad thing?" Riya shot back, playfully hitting his arm out of the way.

"No, of course not! Afros looked totally cool to me when I was a kid. I actually wished my hair could stand up like that for a while -"

"SURE you did, _Agent Tsen._"

"You accusing me of lying, _Ma'am?_"

The two long-lost companions were laughing and childishly prodding each other for the rest of the trip. It was a random, crazy, and wonderful end to the day. They were both disappointed when Riya's tiny house seemed to appear suddenly before them. It was a dusty retangular shack with discolored and uneven walls, layered and repaired numerous times with scrap wood - most likely by the poor girl herself. Yuhan felt a pang when he realized that this rickety shelter was hers, knowing that she'd never left this dirty, humble patch of Ba Sing Se in her life. She'd even lost her parents. How his life had turned out so drastically different…

Riya set aside the door – a single wooden board propped against a hole in the wall – and turned to face the agent again, smiling even brighter than she had when he'd rescued her back at the tea shop. "Yuhan…I still can't believe I'm talking to you right now," she said breathlessly. Her hazel eyes glanced at the shining emblem on his elegant robe, then at the rough patches holding her old dress together. "You've really gone so far..." she continued softly. "It's amazing to see you in that uniform – I'm so happy for you!"

The Peace Orator shifted uncomfortably. "Ah, it's nothing much," he replied dismissively, trying to change the subject. "I was surprised too when I saw that Afro-Girl had turned into such a…um…nice…woman."

..._This is bad. _Yuhan was blushing madly. Riya beamed. "A-Anyway, do you live here alone?" he hastily added, praying that she didn't notice.

For the first time that day, her eyes looked utterly full of sorrow. The agent was taken aback immediately. He began to apologize, but Riya stopped him. "When my parents died, a kind couple who'd just moved in from a nearby city took me in." She took a deep breath. "But 5 years ago...w-when I was 14, some Dai Li agents showed up one day and told me that - that my foster parents had passed away too. I never knew why." Her eyes became cloudy and downcast. "Ever since then, I've been getting by on my own. B-but it's not so bad, you know!" she quickly finished with a smile, though she failed to meet Yuhan's gaze.

The Orator could feel a dread slowly creeping over his entire body. "I'm so sorry to hear that…" he said quietly. "I shouldn't have asked." He couldn't stop his next words from spilling out suddenly. "If you don't mind, though...what were your foster parents' names? I might know some details about what happened to them." _I'm afraid I might know TOO many details.  
><em>

Riya lifted her face back up, her eyes widening. "_Really?_ That would mean so much to me! Their names are Liu and Mina. Does that sound familiar at all?" She looked so hopeful.

Yuhan felt something in his heart crumble away and die. "N-no, I don't think I've ever heard of them. Sorry that I can't do anything to help you," he sighed, his eyes dropping as he finished his sentence.

_I pass their cell every morning._

"Oh, don't feel bad about anything, Yuhan!" Riya replied cheerily, straining to hide the disappointment on her face. "I never really knew much about them, either. They didn't tell me anything about where they came from or how they ended up here in Ba Sing Se...I guess they just wanted to start a new life."

_So that's how she has no clue about anything that goes on at headquarters..._Yuhan found himself avoiding her gaze again, turning instead to observe the remaining amount of sun sinking into the horizon. He suddenly jolted at the sight. A strict, intimidating voice raced through his head. _"Be back at headquarters by sundown. I have much need of your assistance tonight. There will be absolutely no exceptions for any delay." _

Riya noticed his sudden change in demeanor. "Yuhan, what's wrong?"

The agent's shoulders lifted and fell hard as he heaved a sigh. "I'm sorry, Riya. My leader said that I have to be back at work pretty soon. I just forgot about it until now. I should go."

"Oh." Riya sounded worried, as if he was about to disappear forever. "Sorry for keeping you so long!" She suddenly fell silent for a brief moment. "...Are you ever going to come back?" she asked slowly. "To, you know…visit sometimes?" The last part was very quiet.

Yuhan didn't notice her cheeks growing pink, but he turned back around to face her. "Of course I will!" he assured her, smiling warmly. "And if you ever want to find me, all you have to do is look for…" He paused. _Look for the same pointy hat and uniform that EVERY Dai Li agent wears? _He slapped his forehead. "Well, you'll recognize me! I think."

Riya smiled softly. "Yes, I will..." As she looked up at him, the agent considered punching himself in the gut to kill the thing that was suddenly fluttering around in it. "Your eyes – they're green. The same color as what you're wearing." _The dull, boring dark green that I'm forced to wear every day? _"It's a pretty color." _Well, if she says so._ The young woman lowered her face to hide another blush. "And I've just realized…You're the only agent I've ever seen without a hair braid in the back!" she suddenly added. "That'll be easy to spot right away."

"Oh, that's right…" Yuhan scratched at the back of the black, untidy mess on his head (he was too used to just covering everything with his hat). He was never a fan of the queue. It hadn't been an obligated style among the Lower Ring since the neighborhoods usually contained refugee families from several cultures. Yuhan was unaware of its unnatural popularity in Ba Sing Se until the day his family was transferred to the Upper Ring for his induction into the Dai Li. He had tried to match the other agents once and grew one, but it literally got caught in everything and often caused him scarring humiliation. Most importantly though, this agent was just too lazy to put that much effort into his hair. His finger got caught into a tangle as he replied, "Well there you have it then! Look for the no-braid guy in a pointy hat. I'll see you around, Riya! I had a really…pleasant time today." Yuhan quickly rushed off before he could embarrass himself further.

"So did I! Thank you for escorting me!" Riya called out behind him, waving and smiling.

"Anytime!" The Dai Li agent returned a quick smile over his shoulder, turning the corner of the road and disappearing behind the dirty buildings.

O/O

Yuhan straightened up his hat as he ran back across the dusty paths. _How did I end up spending another five __minutes to say BYE to her? I'm so dead when I reach headquarters…_He silently begged the sun to stay above the horizon for just a bit longer.

Fortunately for the young Orator, a local carriage was passing through the same road as he. Agents could take carriages _back_ from the city since they didn't have to keep the ostrich horses underground. They only couldn't ride them _to_ the city due to the absence of messengers to notify any drivers. (Long Feng, on the other hand, simply used the agents themselves as his messengers)

Yuhan raced after the crooked wooden wheels. "_Hey!_ Stop!" he yelled.

The peasant steering the ostrich horse was an elderly man in a loose, sleeveless dirty brown tunic. He brushed some silver hairs aside with a bony arm, turning and squinting his eyes to identify the voice. He was terrified to see a random Dai Li agent chasing him. The horrified man cracked his whip, causing the carriage to lurch forward even faster.

"No, come back!" Yuhan almost wheezed as he struggled to keep up. "I need a ride!"

The carriage came to a screeching halt. The peasant stared in disbelief as the agent caught up to him, gasping for breath. The Dai Li usually never even bothered to _look_ at the run-down carriages of the Lower Ring. They always paid the finest drivers of the Upper Ring instead. And yet…

"Thank you _so_ much! Here's a gold piece (much more than the actual price). Please take me to Lake Laogai as fast as you can! …Er, I have a beach party that I'm going to be late for!"

The peasant took the shining piece of currency into his fingers with awe. He continued turning it over in his hands and examinining it as Yuhan jumped into the carriage.

O/O

The sun had just disappeared into the night when Yuhan thanked the driver and shook his hand. The peasant rode off, still clutching the gold piece as his brown eyes glowed mysteriously. _Maybe the Dai Li aren't all that bad, after all…_

Yuhan waited until the carriage had gone far from sight before hastily stomping the ground at the edge of Lake Laogai. He frantically sprinted along the path to the tunnel while it was still rising above the dark water. A minute later, he finally reached the Grand Secretariat's office with sweat dripping into his eyes, panting heavily. The vast room was surrounded with towering bookshelves, each elaborately carved with various symbols of the Earth Kingdom and stuffed with scrolls detailing the lives of every citizen in Ba Sing Se. Long Feng was examining one of these scrolls before turning from behind his polished ebony desk, also carved with utmost detail.

"Good evening, Yuhan. You're just in time." The leader's lips twisted into a smile while his eyes remained expressionless.

The Peace Orator bowed, still struggling to regulate his breathing. "What can I do for you, sir?" he huffed.

"Congratulations, you've just been nominated by your fellow agents to be Peace Orator again! Today's group is terribly rowdy, so be sure to apply any necessary restraints before you begin. After you finish, I want you to take this letter to His Highness. I can only trust you alone to deliver this crucial information. That is all."

Yuhan took the embroidered letter into his stony hands and tucked it securely into his sleeve. "I will notify you immediately when I return from the palace. Have a good evening, sir." Long Feng simply turned back around to his desk.

As soon as he'd bowed himself out of the door, Yuhan slumped down miserably against a wall. The trip to the palace was a five-hour walk, and there was a low chance of finding any working carriage drivers this late. He quickly picked himself up, however, fearing that Long Feng might suddenly emerge from the office and see him sitting. The tired agent groaned and started pacing towards an all-too-familiar conversion chamber, trying to think of anything in the world other than the certain lack of sleep he'd have to endure once more. Riya's gentle face suddenly appeared in his mind's eye.

Yuhan smiled.


	5. Her Only Family

Ok I said I'd take a break and not write a new chapter every day...so this chapter appeared TWO days later... x) I'm not sure where to start off the next chapter, though, so there might truly be a delay soon lol.

It was refreshing to write from a different light this time. Fun stuff! Enjoy ^^

* * *

><p>Loud footsteps echoing down the hallways beneath Lake Laogai stirred several peasants behind iron bars awake. Another lifeless morning had begun in the Dai Li headquarters. The starved, beaten eyes that flickered in and out of consciousness at the noise could hardly be considered awake, however. They had been deprived of sunlight for years, no longer caring to wonder whether it was night or day above the water.<p>

One set of footsteps paused before a cell at the corner connecting Ground Corridors 2 and 3. After several seconds, the footsteps still hadn't started again. The shadow of their owner could be seen blocking the gap beneath the rusty metal door. After a few more seconds, the loud jingling of keys accompanied the noises echoing down the eerie hallway.

Liu drowsily struggled to force his eyelids open, though the deep brown irises within writhed and stung. He put all his might into focusing his disoriented pupils onto another prisoner, chained to the dusty brick wall across from him.

"Mina. Mina…" He croaked. "Someone's outside."

The feeble woman, who was all but skin and bones, rubbed at her own dirt-filled eyes for several seconds before she could return the gaze, their jade color marred by the surrounding red. Her dusty black hair, matted and caked with dirt, hung like tattered cords upon her face as her cracked lips began to move. "They're coming back to try again…" she wheezed. "I don't know if I can pull through this time, Liu…I'm…tired…" A horrible, raspy cough shot through her lungs. A few drops of blood spattered across the hard floor.

Her husband's face twisted with pain and helplessness as he stared down at the crimson stains. "Don't worry, Mina," he replied, his voice crackly. I can…convince them…to take me…instead…" Despite his determination, Liu was struggling to stay conscious himself.

"No…no…" The woman's head was barely turning back and forth as she tried to rest against the wall. "You've…done enough…already."

Before Liu could answer, the heavy metal door swung open and crashed against the wall with a deafening bang.

"Morning! Good to see that you're awake already."

The ragged prisoner leaned over in the direction of the voice that he'd learned to despise for the past 5 years. "What do you want…" he began slowly, sitting up a little.

"Why, it's that time of month again!" the Dai Li agent replied simply, his jeering mouth twisting into a smile beneath the brim of his hat. "If you promise to be good today, you'll be sent straight home in a carriage before you know it - and we'll all be spared the atrocious odor infecting this room."

An indescribable fury suddenly lit up the eyes that had seemed so lifeless just a few seconds earlier. Liu wanted so badly to be able to look straight into the face underneath that revolting, gaudy pointed hat. That coward! "_Never. _Burn in Koh's Realm." The words flew like knifes across the shadowy cell.

The agent gave a long, exaggerated sigh. "Now, now, I think we've been through this enough times, _Liu_. Just come with me quietly, and I won't have to concern myself with that filthy woman of yours. For the time being." The prisoner could see his lips forming a nasty smirk.

The prisoner turned his weary eyes painfully over at Mina, who'd already fallen into unconsciousness again. His face hardened. "Fine. Do what you will..." he muttered. He held out both his arms, struggling to lift the heavy shackles pulling down his wrists.

"See, that wasn't so hard was it?" sneered the agent, solidifying thick band of rock around Liu's wrists before unlocking the shackles. "Now we're just going to take a little trip down into the conversion chamber – I'm sure you've been there many times already – where you'll _hopefully_ come to your senses today. Then you and your wife are free...that is, if she complies too." The prisoner didn't answer.

O/O

Liu knew how to resist the influence of the strange, revolving lamp that often dazed him every time he was taken to the conversion chamber, and he certainly didn't plan on giving in to it today. All he had to do was imagine the excruciating sight of his own father being stabbed through by ruthless Fire Nation soldiers, with his house burning in the background. If that didn't work, then he would force himself to recall Mina's tortured face as he tore her away from the charred bodies of her entire family. There were times when it seemed all hope was lost, but the innocent face of a young, sweet girl with hazel eyes would suddenly smile at him just before his mind slipped away completely. Sometimes it was his sheer determination not to let her be alone anymore that saved him from being brainwashed. But even so, the glow of the lamp became harder and harder to ignore as Liu was continually worn down by terrible conditions of prison through the years. He couldn't hide his anxiety when he spotted the specially marked door of the conversion chamber slowly inching closer and closer to him.

"Anddd now I finally get you off my hands." The agent guiding Liu wrenched open the thick entrance and pitilessly shoved him through. He tumbled onto the cold floor as the door slammed shut behind him. The sharp noise seemed to dull in contact with the cold air of the eerie chamber. Mina's husband simply stayed immobile on the ground and rested his eyes while he could, bracing himself to be brutally dragged back onto his feet.

To his surprise, he felt two tender arms lift his back gently off the ground, propping him up against a wall to sit temporarily. Liu gladly took the chance to rest his weary eyes some more, knowing that it would decrease his chances of being influenced by the lantern's glow. His ears picked up a voice and the rustling of paper a few feet away. "(Sigh) Let's see who's in here today…" the voice muttered softly. "Prisoner #113. 57th conversion attempt." There was a sharp intake of breath. "Liu…Lower Ring…4th Division." The parchment fluttered to the ground before Liu's feet. Confused, he twisted his head up towards the speaker.

A pair of dark, emerald eyes were gazing back down at him. Young, strained, and shadowed with looming signs of exhaustion...They were not at all what the prisoner had always expected to see beneath any agent's hat. As he stared back, the mysterious eyes seemed to flicker with both pain and pity. If he could say so himself, Liu almost felt that they looked…_troubled._ Dai Li agents could feel such emotions...?

_No, _the prisoner quickly thought to himself. _It's just another one of their little tricks to try catching me off guard and brainwashing me. I have to ignore it. _He finally tore his face away from those wretched eyes, trying to appear as strong and stubborn as possible. "Well?" he snapped.

The green eyes disappeared back beneath the hat. "…Would you like to seat yourself? Or should I –"

"I can walk myself, thank you very much!" Liu snarled, staggering over to the worn stone chair sitting in front of the lamp. "Just get it over with already."

The agent silently watched him collapse into the seat and wince from the pain of the bruises covering his body. Liu simply could not understand why he kept getting the impression that this agent was behaving really strangely, as if he were almost…human. After a heavy moment of silence, the Earthbender finally lifted an arm hesitatingly into the air. The lamp, already lit, began to drift across its curved rail, picking up its speed within seconds and whizzing across the faces of both the prisoner and the agent.

Liu panicked. He was too fatigued today. The blinding yellow glow seemed to envelope the entire room almost instantly. He desperately tried to focus. There his father was, screaming out in pain…from what? What was causing him pain?

"There is no war in Ba Sing Se." There was something unnaturally convincing about that voice, and it was impossible to ignore.

The prisoner struggled to keep his train of thought. Fire Nation. Yes, the Fire Nation was making his father…what were they doing? Liu quickly shifted his faulty memory to something else. Mina…there she was, kneeling and sobbing. Because…because…

"There is no war within the walls."

Was there even a war? Had he ever experienced one before? No, there _had _to be a war - he just couldn't remember why. Liu cried out in agony. His eyes refocused for a brief second on the hazy green figure of the Dai Li agent. He himself looked as if he was straining to force out the words. The thought quickly died in Liu's mind with the next sentence, however.

"Here, we are safe."

Yes, yes, he was safe. He and Mina were in Ba Sing Se now. There was no war. There was no sadness. There was no one left behind…no one…except…

"_RIYA!_" Liu screamed, reaching despairingly towards a quickly dissolving vision of the smiling, hazel-eyed girl waving goodbye to him. Was that Riya? Who was she? Why was she important? His eyes failed him. Everything turned to black.

O/O

Liu reawakened to a couple of irritated voices. A familiar pain wrung his heart. It was a sign that, to his utter surprise, all his memories were still intact.

"You _couldn't _convert him? Aren't you supposed to be the Peace Orator that never fails?" rang the sound of Liu's 5-year target of hatred.

"It's not like I _never _fail, who told you that? And it did take you guys 56 tries before you even turned him over to me. Can I ask that you take that into account?" It took a few moments for the prisoner to recognize this speaker. Was that really the voice of the one who'd tried to brainwash him? It sounded so...natural.

"I'm _tired _of dealing with this stupid peasant, though!" scowled the Koh-bound agent. "I expected you to be able to send him away already. Long Feng Sir won't be happy with you."

"Long Feng Sir will see how many times _you've_ failed before considering this particular session," the brainwasher replied coolly. "I don't want to argue with you, Tyru. The peasant is simply too stubborn. We just have to accept that."

Liu heard Tyru let out another scowl. _So that's the bastard who drags me out of my cell every month. _He slowly opened his eyes, blinking a couple of times to make out the two blurry green figures standing a few feet away. The agents noticed him shifting drowsily in his seat and turned towards him immediately.

"What are we supposed to do with him now?" Tyru grabbed Liu's tangled hair and yanked up his face to take a closer look. The prisoner glared back with steely malice. "He's still as hard-headed and war-crazy as ever!" the agent remarked, his callous grey eyes narrowing in response. "I don't want to keep having to babysit him forever!"

"Tyru, calm down..." sighed the young convertor. "I'll ask Long Feng Sir to assign someone else to his cell, alright? Just let me deal with him for now."

Tyru released Liu's hair, allowing his head to drop back down. He wiped his fingers on the sleeve of his uniform with violent, angry strokes, as if the stone covering his hand wasn't even enough to keep away the filth he just touched.

The green-eyed agent dully observed his fellow member for a few seconds. Turning away, however, he shuffled in front of Liu's chair, kneeling down. "Hey, can you hear me?" The prisoner eyed him warily. "Listen…" the agent's voice was barely a whisper. "I stopped the lantern early, ok? Try not to be so easy to brainwash next time."

Liu couldn't believe his ears - almost literally. The words flew straight through them. His brows furrowed to the extent of surpassing the permanent creases that his rage had already produced so many times before. The Dai Li were all vile, disgraceful creatures. _Liar! _He looked straight into those cursed emerald eyes, and spat.

The agent flinched a little and stood back, slowly lifting a hand to his pale face. Without uttering a word, he began to dab at his cheek with the sleeve of his robe.

Tyru, on the other hand, had a dangerous, horrible expression distorting his face. "You…how _DARE you_," he started slowly, his venomous tone growing in volume every second. "You _filthy _peasant! I swear, you're getting your head smashed in before I leave this room – you _dare_ defy your authorities in such –"

"Tyru. Drop it."

The enraged agent wheeled around viciously. "You're going to _let_ him get away with that?" he roared.

"No, of course not. I would like to have the pleasure of punishing him myself, if you don't mind," replied his fellow member, a little too calmly. "You can leave if you'd rather not soil your robes with the mess." The green-eyed agent was frighteningly expressionless.

The ground began to shake violently, causing the entire room to rumble under the pressure. Before anyone could even blink, a huge _crack_ shot through the air, and a bottomless, gaping hole suddenly appeared right before Liu's feet. He looked up only to find that a massive boulder had produced itself, and the brainwasher was hovering it precariously above his arms. His emotionless eyes and their ghastly shadows made the whole image seem like a twisted nightmare.

Tyru chuckled maliciously as he headed for the exit. "You're really in for it _now_, peasant." The metal door slammed shut, its echo slowly fading into the deathly silence.

Liu tried to keep a steady face, but his body sank down helplessly against his chair beneath the looming shadow of the green-eyed agent and the giant boulder. He took in his last breaths and slowly shut his eyes. _Mina…Riya…_his heart writhed in pain as he pictured his broken family, his tormented wife at the mercy of the dark organization, his twice-orphaned daughter forever alone..._Please stay strong__ without me. I…I'll always love –_

The Dai Li agent gave a loud grunt and threw the boulder aside. It crashed onto the floor, cracking it even more badly than before. The walls rattled horribly, and the conversion chamber lantern toppled off of its stand, shattering as it hit the ground. Liu stared.

"Holy Spirits…that was heavy…" the agent leaned against the boulder, breathing hard. "Well...he's gone now. So…er, let's head back to your cell, I guess..."

O/O

Mina looked up anxiously as she spotted the familiar uniform, its owner chaining her husband back down across the room.

"Did…did you…?" Her voice faltered.

"No I didn't." The agent turned to her as he spoke monotonously. "He's still completely the same as he was before. Guess he's just too difficult for me."

Mina collapsed against the wall, the joy of relief bringing tears down her face. She'd really believed that they wouldn't make it today.

Liu watched the agent exit silently from the room and heard the lock click into place once more. He and his wife had been spared for another month. And although they were right where they started since the last 5 years in prison, they still had their dignity – something that he'd almost lost today.

Exhaling, the prisoner rolled over on the floor to rest his weary head. He felt something strange bubbling up inside him. It seemed so foreign, yet distantly familiar. Liu finally recognized it – he'd found a glimmer of hope. After a split second however, a frown twisted his face, and the hate returned to his eyes with all its fury. _Dai Li agents don't give hope._


	6. Friendly Conversations

Alright, here comes the hard part. I'm fine with writing stuff about dark, evil people or mental troubles (don't judge me!) but I'm nervous to see what'll happen with this chapter. The plot's finally gonna get a move on, though! I is happy. And now for some notes to my wonderful reviewers that I can't pm…

_wt183_: Of course I'll continue the story :P I became a little too obsessed with it this past week, actually . As for the main plot of Avatar...if you read the prologue, Yuhan's going to end up running into the Gaang sooner or later when they come to his city (their adventures in Ba Sing Se will be kept canon). What happens to him when he does, though…well, keep reading haha.

_Jasmin Time daughter of Father Time_: Like I said, I'm definitely not planning to quit the story :) I had the whole plot planned from the beginning already. I became addicted when I realized the joy of filling in the little details of that plan. Glad you're enjoying it so much! :D

And a final note: I changed the summary back again xD Sorry if it's throwing you off. Thanks to Mai4eternity for pointing out the need to me ^^

Thank you all, it makes me really happy to see people reading and enjoying this :) Here's the 6th chapter-written-in-a-day lol. (or 7th? But I wrote one chapter in TWO days so there's only 6 one-day chapters…whatever! I'll get to it now).

* * *

><p>Riya was a beloved member of her small, humble community in the Lower Ring. They all felt that it was a shame how such a kind, beautiful girl as herself was poor and living alone in one of the most tattered, simple homes in all of Ba Sing Se, even for the Lower Ring's standards. Though her neighbors wanted to do something about it, they too often simply didn't have enough money to spare. Sometimes they would try to make up for it by leaving an extra basket of fruit on her doorstep (a patch of dirt), inviting her over for meals, or giving her slightly larger portions at the market than what she paid for. It only made them feel more pity every time she graciously thanked them with a bright smile, or when they could spot her cheerfully sweeping out dust from inside her shelter.<p>

What worried them most, however, was her remarkably stubborn refusal to believe anything they told her about the Dai Li, regardless of their best efforts. It greatly alarmed them to see that she had begun growing fond of talking to a particular agent who kept coming back to visit. A rather strange boy, this one was; speaking with little formality, always yawning, and always looking at every bench or patch of grass as if it were a feathery pillow...That Riya was somehow associated with him more than 10 years ago was truly a mystery. Her neighbors would often eye him suspiciously as he chatted with her outside her shelter. They feared that she, too, would soon disappear with him and return as something horrible, such as those "Joo Dee's" that they loathed with a passion. Ancient friend or not, he was still a part of the dark organization, after all.

The little community was naturally appalled, therefore, when the agent returned one day with a group of intimidating, muscular men dragging large crates. He walked casually in front of them, though the humble citizens noticed some of the crates being pushed along by some invisible force in the ground. They decided not to wait around to find out why. Several immediately rushed out from their own homes, ready to do everything in their power to strike down the agent before he could take the poor girl away. Some of the neighbor's men hid in a thicket of bushes nearby, slowly raising their makeshift daggers as the agent pointed to Riya's shabby home, telling some horrible, inaudible instructions to his group. Knowing the Dai Li, the boy would probably end up breaking all their bones - but at least Riya would have a chance to run.

They saw the girl emerge from behind her wooden board entrance, smiling when she saw the agent but quickly growing confused at the sight of all the bulky men behind him. He spoke a few more inaudible sentences and she suddenly gasped, backing towards the door with tears beginning to fill her eyes. The men hiding in the bush wanted so badly to attack, but Riya was standing too close to the agent by now. They painfully watched as he took her arm and gently pulled her away from her little shelter.

The hidden men began to offer their bitter apologies to Liu and Mina for failing to protect what was left of the family...until the young woman suddenly turned around and flung her arms around the Dai Li agent. The beefy group behind him pried open the crates and lifted out, to their astonishment, large planks of wood and buckets of paint. The agent suddenly looked straight at the bush, causing them all to jump. "You can all come out, you know," droned his dull (yet weirdly awkward) voice. "I'm not going to kill you or something..."

The neighborhood men embarrassedly stood up, covered in leaves and trying to hide their weapons. Riya saw them and started laughing, unaware of their earlier intentions. Though the agent seemed to know, he made no comment as their guilty eyes met his. His group of construction workers curiously looked over at them. "You here to help, folks?"

Several hours later, a _house _occupied the space where Riya's tiny shelter once stood. It was still small (she'd insisted upon it), but it was a secure and cozy little building, painted jade and white, her favorite colors. There was a door that actually stayed in the frame, a real doorstep, and a separate bedroom and kitchen. There were already a few jars of her favorite wildflowers sitting on the wide windowsills that the agent had knowingly included.

Her neighbors couldn't help but stare as the boy paid the construction workers (and volunteering neighbors) in only gold pieces; they wondered if the Dai Li were even capable of using other currency. They watched with mixed emotions as Riya happily left with him, disappearing down the dusty road to the Pao Family Tea House.

Well, the community admitted amongst themselves, at least this agent wasn't planning to brainwash her. As for his paying the construction workers to build her a new house? He was just…an abnormal Dai Li agent. A very strange agent indeed, that was all.

O/O

"Y-You're even paying for my _tea _now?" Riya was fidgety and stuttering all over the place, still struggling to register earlier events. Her agent friend, on the other hand, seemed perfectly fine about tossing out more than 500 gold pieces in a matter of hours; he appeared to be enjoying the lifted weight from his pockets, in fact. The two sat at a small table in the corner of the tea shop where they'd reunited.

"Of course! There's no way I'm letting _you_ pay for it," Yuhan replied simply. "That'd be totally rude and jerkish of me!" He was about add something else, but it was quickly lost when he became mortified upon sight of a familiar figure in emerald skipping through the door.

With Yuhan's luck, the other agent spotted the two at their table right as he was heading out. "Yuhan! _Buddy!_ Great to see – WHOA there!" Hiroshu's eyes practically popped out of their sockets at the sight of the young woman sitting across from his friend. She began to wave a little when he kept staring. "Hey, you're that girl from the other day..." he remarked, his tone slowly changing into something that couldn't possibly mean well. "_Ohhh, _when did this...?" He turned over to to his partner with a grin. "Gee, thanks for telling me man! But _NICE_, she's quite a –"

"Hiroshu, _shut up!_" Yuhan immediately sprang up and seized his friend's collar. Riya looked unsure of what was even going on as she watched. "You don't have to make such a scene about everything!" hissed the Orator. "She's a friend I knew a long time ago. We're just having a _friendly_ conversation, and it's _not_ what you think –"

"WHATEVER you say, buddy!" Hiroshu smiled slyly and wrenched his collar free, ignoring Yuhan's murderous expression. "Well, I think it's a good time for me to leave, then! Have _funnnn_." He walked off with his to-go order of tea, whistling merrily. His horribly loud voice had attracted the attention of almost everyone in the shop.

Riya was still puzzled, but she laughed silently when her childhood companion took once glance at the onlookers and then flopped back into his chair, throwing his face into his arms on the table. She was about to ask what they'd been talking about, until…

"_It's a long, longgg way to Ba Sing Se!" _

Yuhan jerked his head up. It took him a moment to register the sight. The fat, elderly man (Mushi, was it?) who served their tea was headed cheerfully over to the table with the cups on a tray…_singing._

"_But the girls in the city, they look sooo PRET-TAYYY!" _He winked one of his golden eyes at Riya, who giggled and blushed. Yuhan's face was back in his arms.

"_And they kiss sooo sweet –" _Mushi gave the agent a hard nudge, who dug his face even deeper. "– _that you've really got to meet…the GIRLSSS FROM BA SING SEYYYY!" _

Riya was laughing heartily, forgetting to cup her hand. She clapped appreciatively as the old man bowed and set the two cups onto the table. Yuhan, on the other hand, wasn't moving a muscle. He didn't even want to find out how many onlookers they'd attracted by now. Maybe the fat geezer would finally leave if he stayed like this long enough. As the agent peered glumly between the gaps in his arms, he suddenly noticed that Mushi's nephew (Li...?) was standing at the very back of the shop. The young brewer appeared to sympathize with Yuhan as he slapped a hand over his scarred face.

"Well young man, aren't you going to at least enjoy your tea with this lovely lady?" The old man still hadn't left. Yuhan finally gave in, unfolding his arms with great difficulty as he slowly sat up. His stone-covered fingers clanged loudly against his cup of tea as he stiffly snatched it up and emptied it down his throat. It was scalding. He gagged. Riya laughed even harder.

"My, that was quick!" Mushi exclaimed. "Am I causing a disturbance to you? My greatest apologies!"

Yuhan only glared back.

The old man smiled even brighter and tucked the tray under his arm. "Greatest Blessings upon both of you, then!" he finished graciously. "Have a wonderful afternoon."

Yuhan's face reddened. "Would you please stop…suggesting…"

The brewer shifted his gaze over to Riya for a moment, who seemed to have taken great interest in the little leaves floating around in her cup. "Ahhh, I understand." Mushi's golden eyes twinkled mysteriously as he walked away. Something told Yuhan that he _didn't _understand.

Or did he?

Riya couldn't be..._that_, could she? Yuhan decided to avoid her gaze as he pondered this. Well - it wasn't as if there was anything wrong with her. They'd always gotten along, and it was refreshing to spend time out here instead of being cooped up under Lake Laogai anyway. But it was just that she was _Riya._ The Afro Girl. One of the few people he remembered before his Dai Li days. His old Pai Sho rival. His interesting friend. Who happened to be very sweet and attractive. And who he liked to talk to. A lot.

...Curses.

A frustrated Yuhan tried to rest his forehead onto the table, but he was instantly blocked by the brim of his hat. He finally leaned back into his chair as he swat a stony hand over his face.

"Why're you so upset, Yuhan? Did I do something wrong?" The agent's hand slid back off his face. It suddenly hit him he'd been brooding for quite some time. "I shouldn't have laughed at you..." Riya's voice began to trail away. "I-I'm sorry..." She was looking shamefacedly at him from across the table, in all her gentle beauty. As Yuhan gazed over, her hazel eyes stared down at the hands she'd folded in her lap.

Hiroshu and the fat old brewer suddenly melted away from his mind, and the young agent found himself smiling. "Aw, don't say that! You're fine," he assured Riya. She began to smile back. "I'm just having kind of a rough time with my Dai Li friend…and that old guy…" He quickly cleared his throat. "Sorry, I'm probably just tired."

Mushi chuckled softly when Yuhan ordered another cup of tea.

O/O

Hiroshu was the first to notice them holding hands. It was very subtle, but nothing escaped his gaze when it was related to his friend and the hazel-eyed girl. Since he was Yuhan's patrol partner, he was naturally somewhere close by most of the time. His friend was only occasionally released from Lake Laogai and let on patrol within the city, but he was always with the girl whenever he returned. The older agent took it upon himself to keep his partner from volunteering himself back to that cursed conversion chamber; the kid seriously needed to stop living in there. Hiroshu made sure that nothing interrupted the two, even secretly taking out some rebels on his own while he and Yuhan were supposed to be working together. Many times he pretended to scout other areas while actually watching the two from a distance. Hiroshu would silently curse whenever Yuhan would suddenly hide Riya behind some corner and tackle down a raging member of the Resistance. But it was worth the wait.

It had been a normal, slow afternoon in the Lower Ring, and it was particularly difficult for Hiroshu to find any hiding spots beneath the blazing sun. He eventually found use for his years of stealth training in the Dai Li, climbing along the tops of nearby homes as he watched. Yuhan had been walking in his assigned pose as always, with Riya by his side. His hands were completely hidden behind his back in accordance with the Dai Li policy, and she respected that. However, it was on this afternoon that she silently looped her arm around his. He went a little still for a moment, but they soon continued walking shyly down the dusty path together. Hiroshu pumped his fist when he observed this.

The older agent became ecstatic the day his buddy broke the Dai Li policy. Yuhan had taken Riya along a patrol of the Middle Ring, where she looked around curiously at the elegant gardens for the first time. The sun had just begun to set, glistening brightly on the polished green tiles of the surrounding houses. The young woman was wearing a new and jade-colored Earth Kingdom dress (also the courtesy of Yuhan). The outer, qipao-like robe was edged with pale yellow and tied together at the waist in a clean white sash. Its loose sleeves stopped near her elbows, revealing fitted white sleeves underneath that stretched to her wrists. Even if Riya was a little too passive for his type, Hiroshu had to agree that the absence of her usual rags revealed an astounding charm; he could only imagine how his partner was feeling at the moment.

The two began to cross over a curved stone bridge that stretched across a glimmering pond filled with water lilies. Riya had just begun to reach out her arm until she realized, in shock, that Yuhan's was outstretched already. The rock glove was gone. It was the first time in years that she'd seen his bare, smooth fingers. The young woman looked up surprisingly into his smiling emerald eyes, which were completely visible this time. "Aren't you…?"

"Who cares?"

They gently clasped their hands together, their fingers intertwining as his long sleeve slid back down over them. A sudden loud rumbling in the distance startled the two, however. Yuhan's partner, too worked up over the sight to pay attention, had toppled off the roof of a small house.

O/O

Hiroshu, of course, was also the one to witness (and ruin) the couple's first kiss. He was on patrol with Yuhan on the great Outer Wall of Ba Sing Se on this night, and he himself had loudly suggested that his friend take Riya to see the outskirts of the city. Yuhan was visibly annoyed and embarrassed, but he agreed eventually. And though Hiroshu was met with variety of death threats during the whole ride to the Lower Ring, his grouchy partner soon forgot everything and smiled stupidly when Riya jumped out from her little house to embrace him.

Things were already getting interesting from the moment the patrol partners notified the guards on the Outer Wall of their arrival; as the group was hoisted up the side of the wall atop a speeding stone platform, Riya practically hugged Yuhan's arm in fright as they shot upwards, and he held her close to keep her steady (while shooting a death glare at his smirking partner). Indeed, this was going to be a good night.

Luckily for Yuhan's sneaky friend, it also happened to be a full moon. Hiroshu felt very sure that something was bound to happen as he trailed several feet behind the couple, watching them point at the grey shapes on the glowing moon and sharing with each other what they saw in them. After several hours, however, they were still doing the same, boring thing - how they could even talk about nothing for that long, Hiroshu had no idea. Irritated, he tried straightening out his robe and hat to relieve his boredom as he trudged along. This was getting ridiculous. If Yuhan didn't want to step it _now_...then the kid was officially the most romantically challenged agent in the world.

_Come on, it's so obvious that you two are together...DO SOMETHING ALREADY!_

The sky seemed to answer Hiroshu immediately. A huge shape appeared suddenly almost from straight inside the moon, soaring towards the wall with unnatural speed. Hiroshu's mouth hung open as he failed to believe his eyes. It was a flying sky bison. An _extinct_ flying sky bison. He stole a glance at the couple in the distance, who were both also gaping at the sight. The massive creature gave a roar and stretched out its six furry legs. Unexpectedly, it lifted its wide, flat tail high above its body, bringing it down suddenly with an overwhelming gust of wind. The enormous force lifted the bison above the wall, and it disappeared into the city.

The strong, terrifying force of the wind knocked Hiroshu straight off his feet, and he fell flat on his back. He winced and slowly sat back up, tenderly rubbing his behind. Then he noticed it.

Yuhan had instinctively dug his boots into the ground as the sky bison swung down its tail. The earth below had raised and solidified around his feet while the air violently flapped his robes. By the time Hiroshu looked back up, his partner was holding fast onto Riya's shoulders, preventing her from being blown to the ground as well. The young woman was in a daze for a moment, with her windswept hair all about her face. She brushed some strands away from her eyes, blinking a couple of times before opening them again. She resisted the urge to laugh when she finally noticed a bunch of bright green tassels hanging down over her forehead.

"Are you alright?" Yuhan's voice was muffled. His hat had blown down to cover his face completely.

"Here, let me get that for you." Smiling, Riya reached forward and softly pushed the brim of the hat back up. She suddenly stopped midway when the dark green eyes reappeared, glistening strangely as they gazed deep into her own. Yuhan's hands hadn't left her shoulders. Hiroshu stared from the distance, wide-eyed. This was it.

The two childhood sweethearts looked like silhouettes in front of the bright, full moon as their faces slowly but surely leaned closer and closer to each other. After what seemed like ages to Hiroshu, their eyes finally shut, and their lips gently touched. The onlooking agent almost called it _lame_ until the fateful spark suddenly freed itself a second later. Yuhan pulled Riya closer, and she had to lift herself onto the tips of her toes to lean in with him. The shy kiss continued to grow in passion as she tightened her arms around his neck and as his hands nestled themselves in the small of her back.

"_AWWWWWWWWWWWW!"_ Hiroshu, unfortunately, couldn't hold it in any longer.

The couple quickly tore apart, turning away from each other and blushing madly. The Peace Orator looked ready to fling Hiroshu straight off the Outer Wall at that moment. But even as his partner came running from behind, screaming something about how 'my buddy actually has a life,' the younger agent was too distracted when Riya began to turn her head slightly back around. As she fiddled embarrassedly with her auburn hair, her face was still red as she stole a glance at Yuhan with a tiny, subtle smile - who returned it before realizing it.

"_Oho!_" yelled Hiroshu, who never missed a thing. He took a step backwards when his partner gave him a very unique glare - and when he slowly slid a finger across his own neck.

O/O

Yuhan was much more disappointed than usual when he had to say goodbye to Riya tonight. They embraced silently for several blissful seconds, with bright streaks of moonlight still shining down upon them through the dirty clothing lines hanging above. The young woman closed her eyes contently, soaking in the warmth of his body as the agent rested his chin against her soft hair. It took all of his will to loosen his grip around her, and they finally faced each other for the inevitable departure. Riya's hands trailed down the sides of his arms, lightly grasping them for a moment before she gently kissed his cheek and let go. Yuhan watched her until she had disappeared completely into her new house, then turned around and climbed quietly into the carriage waiting behind him.

"She's quite a girl, isn't she?" It was the same peasant that had driven him back to Lake Laogai on the day he'd first escorted her home.

He gave a long, wistful sigh. "Yeah…she is." _And now I have to go back and face her foster parents again. _He leaned over and sank his face into his hands.

O/O

Yuhan almost paused in front of the cell connecting Ground Corridors 2 and 3, but forced himself to run past it as fast as he could. Tonight, he actually wanted Long Feng to assign some horrible task to him. Anything to get his mind off of Riya's parents…and her innocence…and his lies…

He stopped abruptly when he heard a large roar echoing loudly throughout headquarters. _How in the world did an agent manage to sneak an animal down here…? _

The animal hadn't been snuck into headquarters at all. Long Feng was standing before it, smiling formidably as a group of agents struggled to put shackles around its six legs. It was the sky bison from earlier.

"There you are, Yuhan! It's good to see you." Long Feng turned to him, not looking as if he actually cared to see him. "Would you kindly lend a hand and help move the Avatar's bison to Cell #38?"


	7. The Favor

This chapter's a little slower and shorter than the others, I admit. Sorry! I just wanted to get a chance to really start connecting the Dai Li to the Gaang. It's starting, ya'll! As a result, this chapter is a lot more reflective than it is action-oriented :X still, i believe the story needs this little bit of explanation. now shifting over to my faithful, non-PMable reviewers!

_Jasmin Time_: Really? no other author addressed you directly? o.o That's strange, the very first fanfic I read years ago was insanely popular, but the author kindly made a note to every single one of her reviewers, including me lol. I thought it was a nice thing to do, so why not? Maybe things have changed now who knows. But i'll still mention you ;) I'm really sorry that you're sick! i hope you feel better soon and omg i'm honored that you consider my story helpful to your situation. And hopefully i'm using the right name for you now haha. Thanks so much for all your support :D

_wt183_: Oooh haha you thought my story got better with the last chapter? THANK GOD LOL. THANK YOU. I was so worked up about having to write that one xD i wrote about people dying in a prison cell without worrying, and then I was like "Oh crap, I have to mention the romance now don't I?" I was under the impression that I'd end up getting flames for making it ultra cheesy or something (I'm well aware that this could be a jinx but whatever) lol. Anyway, regarding the prologue and Yuhan's fate when he runs into the Gaang...I'm sorry, but I can't comment on my decision for this story's ending until I finish it. SORRY D: I'll try my best to make it worthwhile, though.

I'm aware that I don't have many reviews LOL but for those of you reading, sorry for the long author's note. You can also ask me any questions if you want :P

* * *

><p><em>BANG.<em> "Long Feng Sir requests your presence." The harsh knock that struck the metal door of Yuhan's dorm echoed loudly. The noise woke several other agents with rooms nearby, who grumpily ignored it soon after. As usual, Yuhan was one of the few members called up this early in the morning.

The young agent snapped his eyes open after two hours worth of sleep. Honestly, he didn't really mind today. He'd thought that sleep would bring him some inner peace, but after his nightmare he wasn't sure he'd ever want to try again.

It wasn't the first time he'd had a bad dream. The old man that he witnessed Hiroshu assassinate seven years ago would often haunt his memories, even in his sleep. This time, however, Riya was part of the nightmare. She'd been standing before him, her bloody body wilted and barely holding itself up, and she'd pointed a single, battered arm at his face. Her head drooped unnaturally to the side, while crimson tears leaked from her empty eye sockets. _"You'll pay for what you did. You're going to burn to the ground." _As she gurgled this, her two foster parents appeared behind her shoulders, looking equally undead. They were followed by a crowd bearing wrathful faces that Yuhan recognized from the conversion chamber. Each of them carried huge, burning torches, which were all pointed at him as they slowly closed in around his body. The agent screamed in pain as the flames climbed up to his face, scorching every inch of his body. Riya threw her head back and cackled as he writhed on the ground. She only laughed harder when he tried desperately to reach towards her for help, and she ground her foot down over his burning hand. When Yuhan thought he would surely die, the sudden bang outside his room pulled him back into reality.

The troubled agent sat back up with a jolt. His breathing slowly began to relax as he cautiously looked around the small room, making sure that there was no fire anywhere in sight and wiping sweat off his forehead. He shook off the dream using a memory of the real Riya smiling sweetly at him, her shy hazel eyes glimmering with affection. Of course, that memory also brought with it a familiar pang of guilt, but it was better than picturing the horrible image from his nightmare.

_Long Feng Sir requests your presence. _Yuhan finally remembered why he was woken up in the first place and hurriedly pulled on his robes. He emerged from his room still adjusting his hat's sash around his chin. _This better not be something related to the sky bison again. Anything but that._

_..._

"Yuhan, I have some important tasks for you regarding Avatar Aang's sky bison."

"…What is it, sir?"

"As you know already, the Avatar and his friends have been searching relentlessly for their lost pet," Long Feng explained, frowning slightly at Yuhan's strangely curt reply. The agent quickly erased all traces of emotion from his face. "And as you also know, they must not be allowed to succeed if we want to keep the war a secret from the Earth King," continued the Cultural Minister. "The bison is our only means of keeping those children silent. It appears so far that Joo Dee is doing a poor job of keeping them occupied. I have therefore decided to send you to take some extra measures."

_Lucky me… _"It is an honor to be chosen to carry out your will," replied the agent, who'd long perfected the art of lying. "What would you have me do, sir?"

"Yuhan, your fellow agents have recently taken an acquaintance of the Avatar's into our custody. The boy is a refugee known by the name Jet. You must convert this boy separately from any other rebels to ensure that the results remain permanently effective," Long Feng commanded. "It is crucial that Jet does not regain his memories when he is allowed to reunite with the Avatar and his friends."

_Reunite…Avatar…friends? _What exactly did the Grand Secretariat have up his sleeve this time? "I understand, sir." The leader bore one of his unnatural, smirk-like smiles. "What instructions am I to give this 'Jet' upon his conversion?" Yuhan asked simply.

"After erasing his memories of the war and of the Dai Li headquarters, you must convince this boy that he works as a waiter at the Liang Family restaurant of the Lower Ring's 6th Division, next to the fur trading stables," ordered the Minister. "While you are doing that, I will send word to our spy there to expect your arrival, and you will pass my instructions onto him." Yuhan felt his face growing a little paler as the information continued to pile on. "When all is done, Jet will have 'overheard' that the bison has been sold to Whale Tail Island and will relay the information back to the Avatar Aang. Once the boy and his friends follow this trail, we will finally be free of his nuisance and continue maintaining utopia in Ba Sing Se without any problems."

_Holy Spirits, that's a complicated brainwashing he's asking for. _"I will do everything in my ability to ensure that Jet's mind is secured. You have my word, sir." The young agent bowed grimly.

"I can see that you find this task much more difficult than usual, Yuhan, but you must understand and accept that you are one of the Dai Li's most talented Peace Orators," Long Feng explained matter-of-factly. "I cannot risk relying on anyone else." His eyes showed no sympathy, but such a compliment was still highly unusual. Even so, the praise didn't do much to ease the agent's dull spirits.

"Thank you, sir. I understand and will begin right away." Yuhan honestly just wanted to get out of the office already.

"Conversion Chamber #3. You may leave."

O/O

Yuhan circled aimlessly around headquarters for a while before actually looking for Conversion Chamber #3. So Avatar Aang was in Ba Sing Se, still looking for his bison…the agent wondered if he'd caught onto the Dai Li's interference already. As the master of all four elements, the boy certainly didn't seem to him like someone that Long Feng could fool too easily. Still...as long as this "Jet" was brainwashed effectively, there was no one, not even the Avatar, who could suspect him of lying about Whale Tail Island. After all, how would anyone be able to tell if Jet himself couldn't? The only problem _now _was that Yuhan was not in any mood whatsoever to brainwash today - especially after that horrible nightmare.

But an order was an order.

Even so, the tired agent's mind suddenly halted its automatic obedience for a moment. The Avatar, if he remembered correctly, was supposed to be the bringer of peace. Wouldn't that put him on the same page as the Dai Li? In fact, if the legends were correct, the Avatar could do much more than the organization and bring peace to the entire world...not just Ba Sing Se. Now that Yuhan thought about it, Long Feng's random schemes didn't seem to make much sense.

...Then again, the current master of elements was a 12-year-old boy who'd disappeared for a hundred years while the rest of the world burned - quite literally. The efforts of the Dai Li had kept the city free of the Fire Nation all this time, not the Avatar. To expect the boy to do any good _now_ was probably unwise. If anything, he'd just drag everyone into war with his overly optimistic attitude and end up adding Ba Sing Se to the list of Fire Nation victories. The Impenetrable City would be reduced to a laughingstock and supply source for the enemy. There was certainly no need for _that_. Long Feng was probably right again. The agent shrugged and continued pacing to his designated conversion chamber.

Still, there was that cursed bison. No matter the reason, the young agent couldn't help feeling a little cruel for separating an animal that was famous for being the Avatar's closest companion. And…there was that night on the Outer Wall, with the full moon. No matter how hard he tried, Yuhan simply couldn't stop the tender memory from interfering with his willingness to do anything that might harm the creature.

_Why do I happen to be _good_ at something stupid like brainwashing?_ _The Spirits couldn't let me be better at literature or something? At least then I could settle somewhere alone in the University Library, free from all naggy Cultural Ministers and glowing lanterns...and spend more time with her for a change..._The tired agent finally came to a stop at the door of Conversion Chamber #3.

O/O

Hiroshu had been trotting down the same hallway on his way to breakfast, still rubbing at his freshly woken eyes. He paused when he suddenly caught sight of his partner in front of the entrance to a conversion chamber. It struck him as odd that Yuhan was just standing there; the kid should've gotten more than comfortable with brainwashing long ago, considering his now 237 record.

The older agent started laughing when his partner still hadn't moved after several more seconds. "What's wrong with you today, getting nervous at a time like this? I think we all know that you have a better chance at succeeding than most of –"

"_I don't feel like it."_

"Huh?" Hiroshu had never heard his buddy speak such a blunt opinion of brainwashing before, or even downright _refuse_ to brainwash. "You tired?" he asked instantly.

Yuhan dully turned around with his sleep-deprived eyes.

Oh...of _course_ the kid was tired. Maybe Hiroshu should've been more specific. "So what's going on?" he decided to add.

The Peace Orator gazed back with a weird, unfamiliar expression. His eyes were more shadowed and zombie-like than ever. Maybe he'd finally gone insane from no sleep (Hiroshu wouldn't have been surprised). But the older agent had already seen those half-dead eyes many times before. Why was today so different?

"I said…I _really_ don't feel like it," his partner finally replied, somehow drearier than usual. "But I should stop complaining now. See ya later…" Yuhan slowly turned back around and glumly began pushing aside the heavy metal door.

Hiroshu quickly stopped his partner, bringing a hand down upon his shoulder. "Okay buddy, you're being flat-out weird today," he remarked, chuckling a little. "What happened to my workaholic friend?" There was no reply. "You know what? I really don't want to know why." The kid probably cracked from all of Long Feng's annoying demands. But in _that _case... "It's finally time for you to take that break you've always needed," Hiroshu declared. "Tell me what Long Feng wanted you to do with this rebel and get out of here. Go spend more time with your girlfriend." He didn't really have anything to do, anyway...not to mention he could get Yuhan to buy him some lychee nuts from the city.

"W-What? But Long Feng said that _I_ have to –"

"And _I _said that I don't care," Hiroshu coolly cut in. "You're not the only brainwasher around here." He sighed when his partner refused to move out of the way. "The dude's not gonna notice anything, seriously. Get out of here! Tell Riya I said hi."

O/O

Moments later, an unusually monotone Hiroshu stood before the puffy-haired boy named Jet, reciting the infamous anti-war speech as the blinding lantern whizzed across their faces. Yuhan had slipped quietly from the tunnel at the surface of Lake Laogai, with his partner's list of snacks stuffed into a sleeve.

Long Feng was correct. Most of the Dai Li didn't have the ability to instill permanent memory retention like Yuhan. Hiroshu was included. And though the generous agent followed the instructions perfectly, Jet's knowledge of the war and of headquarters still laid too close to the surface for the leader's liking.

But of course, the Cultural Minister was completely unaware that his best Peace Orator happened be grocery shopping outside with a shy, hazel-eyed girl. He was still sitting back in his dark, green-lit office, contently sipping tea and expecting news of the Avatar's leave any day now. Who could've predicted the drastic consequences of one little favor?


	8. Subtle Messages

_To our precious and most beloved Yuhan:_

_We met your friend Hiroshu while we were out shopping today. That boy has quite a character! Why don't you tell him to come over for dinner more often? We hardly see any of you these days! Anyway, your father and I also wanted to address how you rarely write back to us. We're worried about you. We only recently learned from Hiroshu that Long Feng keeps you occupied since you're one of the MOST REVERED AGENTS in the entire organization! Why would you keep something like that from us? You could've at least sent us a little note about it, or told one of the agents in the city to keep us updated. Hannie, we know how you love to be so shy and modest, but as your parents we need to know how you're doing away from home. It makes us so proud and overjoyed to hear that you're serving our city so well!_

_Speaking of telling us things, Yuhan…can you imagine how shocked we were when we found out that you're SEEING someone? I can't believe you would wait for your friend to tell us such wonderful news! You should've taken her to see us immediately! Hiroshu was kind enough to give us all the details, though. Your father and I remember Riya very well. Such a sweet little girl she was. I didn't know she was still living in the Lower Ring. Though your father was concerned at first about her rather unique appearance, Hiroshu assures us that she's become quite a beauty. Whether that's true or not, I couldn't be more proud of my little boy. You've grown into such a handsome, respectable young man, and I'm certain that you made the right decision. Even with all that in mind, however, you still must take her to meet us! It would be terribly rude and improper of you to do otherwise. I would simply LOVE to see the gorgeous young woman that your childhood companion has become. Tell her to join Hiroshu for dinner! Oh, he's already agreed to meet us a week from now, by the way. He even arranged for one of your fellow agents to fill in for you during that time. You're so lucky to have such a kind, thoughtful friend!_

_We're so excited to see you again after so many months! Your father and I have been waiting for this special day for as long as we can remember. We were almost worried that you'd always be too focused on your career – our little Hannie has really pulled through! We're so proud of you. Until dinner, then! Keep protecting Ba Sing Se, stay healthy, fix your hair, and be safe! Love you lots! And please write back this time!_

_With Hugs and Kisses,_

_Mommy and Daddy_

"Hiroshu…I am _THIS _close to murdering you!"

Yuhan's partner ducked away, laughing as a clenched rock fist whizzed past his head. He almost fell to the ground when the glove came flying back, barely brushing the tip of his ear before re-encasing around Yuhan's left hand. The small, gold-embossed letter was still clasped in his right hand, on the verge of crumpling. Hiroshu had proudly delivered it himself.

"What's wrong, Hannie?" Hiroshu snickered. The glove shot back out and knocked over his hat. "Your parents just wanted to meet your - OW! (His jaw was hit) HEY! I'm doing you a favor here!"

"_Oh? _Are you sure you weren't just trying to mooch off my parents' food like always?" Another fist flung into Hiroshu's direction.

"Positive! And as much of an amazing cook your mom is, I thought that it's about time that Riya – stop shooting that at me! – should finally be introduced to your family!" Hiroshu managed to catch the rock fist in his own hands this time, struggling to keep it still.

"_I'll _decide when Riya meets my family, mind you! Why do you always feel the need to be…_everywhere? _It's getting really annoying!" The stone fingers wrenched free from Hiroshu and finally settled back around Yuhan's hand permanently (or so his partner hoped).

"I didn't follow your parents, okay? They saw me first when I was out buying lychee nuts. I was just as shocked as they were when it turned out that you didn't even tell them about your girlfriend! And then the dinner thing just…happened. Really!"

Yuhan miserably turned his back to his partner and stared straight into the sky, despite the blinding early morning sun. "This is brilliant…just brilliant…" he kept muttering.

"Yeah, it IS brilliant!" Hiroshu piped in cheerily. "You see, nothing ever _happens_ between you two. It's such a boring relationship most of the time!"

"Boring…_what?_" The sudden and terrifying change in Yuhan's expression caused Hiroshu to take a step backwards.

"No! I mean, you two are just so…I can't explain it! It's this happy-dandy, cutsie shy, non-aggressive _dullness _all the time!" Hiroshu exclaimed, eyeing his partner's glove cautiously.

"Happy and not aggressive…you're saying that's bad thing?"

"No, not a bad thing! A good thing! But…" Hiroshu hesitated as the stone plates covering his partner's hand began shifting again.

"_But?_" Yuhan's gloomy eye shadows only seemed to worsen his intimidating expression.

"The way things are set up just makes it so…uneventful!" Hiroshu continued boldly. "She's this super shy, nice, and randomly hot girl that's crazy about you (Yuhan slapped a hand over his own face) while you're the quiet, Mr. Nice-Guy type who just _happens_ to be a super secret agent. When you put the two together…both of you are like a couple from one of those cheesy stories my mom used to read to me! It's just so dull because you have no problems to work over. And you're both too shy and afraid to do anything interesting on your own!"

"Well, there are _some _problems…" Yuhan thought glumly of the cell between Ground Corridors 2 and 3.

"Obviously not important enough!" Hiroshu brushed the statement aside. "What I'm saying is that you need to step it up, man! Bring her to meet your parents – wait, I already set that up – or give her something special! You've been doing the same thing for weeks!" He was relieved to see his partner lower his fist (though reluctantly).

"…You really think I should?" The anger had subsided into something that Hiroshu found quite amusing. "I mean, I still feel perfectly fine around her and she seems happy too, but if you say so…I don't know…" Yuhan twiddled his stone-covered fingers around nervously.

"Of course I say so, buddy! Nothing can go wrong with a little extra romantic zing! Just – wait, did that guy just mention the Fire Nation?" In the blink of an eye, Hiroshu was suddenly running off in the direction of little huddled group they'd just passed. Sure enough, the forbidden words rang loudly through the air.

Yuhan stopped for a minute, lost in his own thoughts. What in the world was Hiroshu's definition of 'extra romantic zing?' _Get her something special…_He finally had an idea. He'd seen it work beautifully many times with other girls. Well…Riya wasn't like the other girls, though. But Yuhan was still willing to try. He finally remembered his duty and sprinted after his partner, smiling to himself. _After all, nothing can go wrong, right?_

O/O

_2 Days Later..._

It was late sunset when Yuhan dragged himself towards a familiar little house in the Lower Ring, covered in soot and wheezing awfully. He practically slapped the back of his hand against the door when he knocked and accidently left a black mark on the wood from the soot between his fingers.

The door slid open. "Yuhan! I'm so glad that you – _what happened to you?_" Riya watched in horror as he trudged past her and tumbled down into a chair in the kitchen. She rushed over at once. "Yuhan? Yuhan! What happened?" Riya frantically shook his shoulders while his head hung drowsily. The soot rubbed off of his robe and stained her hands. "Did you get burned? And why is it all over you? Answer me!"

"Ha…ha…no, I didn't get burned," the Dai Li agent finally huffed back, "but I got pretty close to it…heh. Totally…worth it…"

Riya had no idea what in the world was going through his head. She pulled out a small towel and tenderly started wiping some of the soot off his face. "Shhh shhh, just rest for a minute. You sound delirious! Do you need some water?"

Yuhan suddenly reached up and grabbed her wrist with a bizarre smile. Riya almost thought he'd gone crazy, but there was something about his eyes that made her heart flutter. "No. I don't want anything right now. I…I have something for you. It sounded a lot easier before I actually went up there, but…well, here!"

The girl's eyes quickly diverted to the sudden movement behind the agent's back. She hadn't noticed that Yuhan had kept an arm hidden this whole time. He swung it out before her face with a triumphant grin. Clutched in his black, dusty fingers were a small bunch of strange, black and white flowers with long, curling petals. They had been tied together hastily in a small handkerchief and a bright green ribbon.

"Oh wow…" Her smudged hand covered her mouth as she smiled. "These are beautiful, Yuhan." Riya bent forward and gave him a quick embrace, getting even more soot on herself. She paused. "But…that doesn't explain the ashes. I'm still worried about you! What have you done?"

The Dai Li agent's face dropped when he realized that the girl had no clue what the flowers were. He suddenly noticed that his lungs ached and that his eyes were full of dust. The smile left as quickly as it came. "What…you mean…you've never seen one before? Or heard of these?"

Riya stared blankly at the black and white petals. "Um…this is the first time I've seen flowers like those. They're really beautiful, but I don't know…" She noticed the discouraged agent deflating against his chair. "I'm so sorry, Yuhan!" she gasped. "I really have no idea what these mean!"

Yuhan looked like he was going to melt away into the floor. Now his arm seemed to weigh five tons as it strained to uphold the flowers. "Riya…they're called panda lilies. They, er…only grow around places like…volcanoes. And stuff. So, I kind of visited one…"

"You went into a _volcano_ to get me _flowers?_" Riya screeched, jumping back. "I-I don't need anything like those! You went and almost got yourself killed!" She was already tearing up even thinking about the idea of him dying.

_Shoot...should've remembered she's extra sensitive about close people doing anything life-threatening. _

"Riya…please! Come on, I didn't _almost _get myself killed!" Yuhan tried to reach towards her in vain as she continued to back away from him in horror. "I'm an Earthbender – and a Dai Li agent! A volcano would never scare me. Look at me! I'd be perfectly clean and healthy right now if that stupid hill didn't start smoking up right when I reached…Oh boy." Yuhan immediately wished he'd kept his mouth shut.

Riya was staggering against the wall as she let out a small squeak. "It was…an erupting volcano?" Right when it seemed like she would faint however, she suddenly marched over to the agent with a terrifying pace. "I don't care about flowers!" She was shaking his shoulders violently this time. "I care about _you! _And you…you…!" Her eyes seemed like they were about to burn holes right through the little bundle in his hand.

"No, you don't get it…these flowers…are…different!" Yuhan's voice came out despairingly as Riya snatched up the panda lilies and threw them onto the floor. He jumped to his feet, coughing out more ashes. "It's been a tradition for ages! When you give someone a panda lily, it means that…that…" His voice suddenly trailed off has he looked away embarrassingly.

The restless girl was still too distraught that Yuhan had almost gotten himself burned to death, but she forced herself to calm down. Though Riya knew nothing about the flowers, she began to feel guilty. Her boyfriend had climbed into a steaming volcano just to pick them, for crying out loud. "You didn't have to get me anything." She gazed lovingly into his eyes. "Whatever the meaning is, I'm just thankful that you were able to come back...alive." Riya swung her arms around him and leaned hard into his chest, soot and all. The familiar warmth reminded her that he was alive and well, and it felt comforting.

Yuhan sighed as he stroked the back of her hair. "I know…but I wanted to anyway. Let's just say that panda lilies are only given to someone special. Someone _really _special. So when I heard that they were growing on a volcano nearby, I thought I'd give them to, you know…" he sighed again. _Hiroshu would've handled this so much better…_

Riya looked up at him and smiled softly. "Oh, Yuhan…I don't need panda lilies in order to feel special." She leaned forward and gave him a warm kiss. Yuhan returned it tenderly, though his disappointment was still evident. The panda lilies remained ignored on the ground.

"You taste like smoke!" Riya laughed. "Here, let me see your robes – I'll clean them for you. Oh, and your hat too. Go wash off your face!"

O/O

Yuhan sat glumly, leaning over the kitchen table in a plain green tunic and white trousers. He was turning over the little bunch of panda lilies indifferently with his hand while Riya was cheerfully scrubbing the soot off his uniform in a corner. He'd had a few weeks of peace from his duties at headquarters ever since Jet had been brainwashed. The boy somehow still hadn't run into the Avatar yet. It was the perfect time to leave in search of the flowers. But in the end…_"I don't need panda lilies in order to feel special." _Yuhan dropped his forehead onto the table. _It's a little more than just telling you that you're special, Riya…_

A dreadfully familiar clinking of metal interrupted his thoughts. He didn't even need to look in order to know what Riya was going to ask.

"Yuhan, there's a whole bunch of chains in your sleeves! Are they supposed to be there?" The girl lifted a long, soapy chain to her face with interest. She soon noticed the wide, silver cuff attached to the end and examined it curiously. "Ohhh, this must be for catching criminals…Don't all the chains get heavy though?" There was no answer.

"Yuhan? Are you tired again?" Riya looked over at the table and noticed the Dai Li agent gazing forlornly out the window in some deep, depressing thought. "Hey, don't be sad about the flowers. I really do love them. I was just worried when I found out how you got them…Yuhan?" He still didn't answer.

Riya put down Yuhan's uniform and went over to sit by him. When he shifted his gaze to her, there were traces of something in his eyes that she had never seen before: anguish and confusion. "Hey…" he whispered.

"Yuhan, do you want to tell me something?" Riya reached over and gently took his hand. For some reason, the gesture seemed to have an opposite effect. His expression became extremely pained, and he looked away while his hand remained limp beneath hers. Riya felt her heart sink. She turned his face back towards her own, despite his distant eyes. "Yuhan…if there's anything I can do…"

"No, don't worry about it. Things are really complicated these days…but it's not your fault so don't worry. You know, being part of the Dai Li…" his voice cracked as he finally looked into her eyes. "It's not always as great as you think."

Riya couldn't find the words to comfort him. There was just something so deep and so dark about his sorrow…it felt almost as if there was something she would never understand. She slowly leaned against his shoulder, feeling hopeless. Though he responded, his head seemed to hang even lower as his arm tightened around her own shoulder. They stayed in the same somber position in what seemed like eternity, neither of them uttering a word.

Out of nowhere, Riya broke away from Yuhan and eagerly jumped to her feet. He stared back, bewildered. "I-I have something for you too! I almost forgot. Maybe…maybe it'll make you feel better!"

"…Oh?"

The girl had already disappeared into her bedroom. She bolted back out within seconds, carrying an old but elegantly carved wooden box.

"That's…for me?" The box could barely fill the space in Yuhan's palm as Riya excitedly pulled out his hand, placing the little gift between his fingers. He took a look at her anxious eyes, cautiously lifting the lid. "_Oh_, it's a bracelet..." Yuhan tried his best to look excited. Men wearing fancy bracelets…the idea didn't fascinate him at all. Still, he simply didn't have the heart to disappoint Riya. She was still bubbling up with excitement as he picked up the bracelet and examined it closely. "Er, this sure has a cool and intricate design, Riya. I feel…better already! Thank you. But...do you maybe want to explain what it means so I can…feel even happier?" _And maybe feel less weird wearing it?_ Yuhan put on what he thought was a smile. When he saw Riya clasp her hands together in relieved joy, however, the smile became genuine.

"This bracelet…my foster parents gave it to me when I was young."

The smile was artificial again. Still, Yuhan listened.

Riya took the bracelet into her own hands, dangling it before him. Two drawstrings with jade beads held it together, and it was composed of several thin strips of dark leather, intricately entwined. Three small disks, carefully carved out of precious stone, were woven into the leather side by side. The center disk, evidently more detailed than the others, was a peculiar transparent gold. Yuhan recognized the other two disks as emblems of the Earth Kingdom, with the squares precisely cut out from their emerald centers. Riya enthusiastically pointed to the gold center disk. "You see this? It has each of the four elements carved into it."

"What?" Yuhan leaned closer until the disk was practically in front of his eye, and he peered at the tiny markings. Sure enough, all four emblems had somehow fit onto the disk. He could even make out the curly details of the water tribe symbol. A cross had been lightly carved between the four symbols, as if to hint their separation and unity at the same time. "Wow…fancy."

Riya stared proudly at the little gift. "It's beautiful, isn't it? My foster parents told me that this crystal somehow crossed from the spirit world into our own…Even if they were just saying that, I still think it's the most beautiful stone I've ever seen. It's supposed to have been touched by the creators of our world! It represents the beginning of life itself." Her hazel eyes filled with wonder, but she soon noticed Yuhan's skeptical expression. "B-But, you really don't have to believe it if you don't want to."

"No, no, this is very interesting. Go on!" He smiled as devotedly as he could manage. "What about the other two?"

"Oh, those are just regular emeralds."

"JUST emeralds?" Yuhan gaped at her.

The young woman laughed again. "That's not what I meant! They're precious too, but we know for sure where they came from…I like the mysteriousness of the gold one."

"Ah, I see…Go on?" The Dai Li agent felt even more disconcerted that he'd have to wear _precious _stone jewelry. The only other person he remembered caring about such things was…his mother…

"So, the gold crystal was carved into the four nations to bring protection to whoever wears it. The spirits of all four elements, after all, are the creators of life. You're supposed to feel some kind of connection to them if you bear the stone. If you have a pure heart, they'll answer your prayers and look after you. Well…that's what my stepparents said!" Riya's eyes glimmered. Yuhan couldn't tell whether she was adoring the gold crystal…or missing her family.

The agent cleared his throat, trying to show more interest in the bracelet. "And what about the two Earth Kingdom-shaped emeralds? Why aren't they any of the other nations?"

"Oh, they have their own special meaning." Riya's voice grew quiet. Her eyes were now shining with some unspoken delight. "You see, they represent two people. Two people who know each other very well. The stones show the nations they come from."

Yuhan pointed awkwardly towards himself. "You mean…?"

Riya nodded eagerly, her cheeks glowing with the beginnings of a blush. "Yes, yes! Actually, the one on the left is supposed to be the nation of the bracelet's giver – my nation. And when you give it away, you weave in the stone on the right representing the nation of a person who's…" She looked down. "…A person who's really special to you. A-And, the spirits are supposed to watch over you both." She was fidgeting nervously with the bracelet now.

The Dai Li agent was silent. He was beginning to be reminded of his volcanic flowers. Riya didn't say any more. An inexplicable, unspoken moment of understanding passed between them.

Yuhan finally spoke up. "Riya…I don't need a bracelet in order to feel _special._" He smirked deviously. The girl finally realized the full meaning of the panda lilies. She slowly brought a hand over her mouth, even when no sound came out. Yuhan gleefully lifted his hands. "Awww come here, you!" Riya collapsed into his outstretched arms, laughing and glowing with pure joy. He held her close to him, kissing her forehead. "Sooo…do you forgive me for climbing into a volcano now?"

O/O

When Yuhan left the house back in uniform, the panda lilies were displayed in a magnificent porcelain vase; a neighbor had donated one immediately upon finding out what kind of flowers it would hold. Only one bloom was missing from the vase. Riya had pinned it into her hair.

The Dai Li agent cheerfully hopped into the carriage this evening, and his trusty peasant driver was waiting with a smug smile. "I see the flowers on her windowsillll!" rang his singsong voice.

"That's right, you do!" Yuhan grinned so wide that he began to resemble Joo Dee. "And look, she gave me something too!" The peasant chuckled and turned around to look as Yuhan pulled back his sleeve.

The bracelet was hardly noticeable on his wrist as two long, twisted chains with cuffs spilled out from beneath the emerald sleeve, cascading over his arm. Riya wasn't familiar with the intricate series of sockets within the Dai Li uniform, designed for concealing the chains. She'd left them hanging loose while she was washing it.

There was a sickening pause. The old driver suddenly saw his dear younger brother again, kicking and shouting desperately while two dark figures dragged him across the ground using those very same chains. Yuhan was unconsciously feeling at his cheek with a hand, remembering a certain man's blatant show of disapproval. It was a sore reminder of just who had entered the carriage and what the true nature of his organization was. Both individual's expressions dampened, and they involuntarily looked away from each other. The peasant cracked his whip. The rest of the trip ensued in complete silence.

* * *

><p>i decided to put ANs at the end this time since the chapter was so long! whoo, a week before an update this time! felt like forever to me lol. well i'm feeling sick and tired so i won't say any more about the chapter x_x here's some little notes to certain pplz, as always:

_wt183: _if yuhan's gonna die, of course i'm not making him go down so easily! xD i won't say any more :P thanks for continuing to read this and for leaving your comments! (less than 3)

_Kimberly T. :_ i know i could've pmed this but i think i should just share with everyone anyway for clarity. you do have a good point :/ i did consider what kind of person long feng might be to his agents and whether to make him inspirational and lots-of-praise ish but...i thought that there had to be some kind of flaw in his leadership if the agents turned over to azula so easily, considering that he probably led them for many years before her. not to mention she's from the enemy's side, so that made it even more strange that they'd follow her.  
>so i kind of figured that they might have stayed loyal to him just because he seemed to know what was best for the city. they might've considered the Earth King dense or incompetent (seeing as how naive he was), and long feng's methods still kept a sort of peace in ba sing se after all. when they did turn over to azula...i thought that the fire nation might've offered more money (agents were known to be corrupted so greed might be another possibility), and long feng maybe just wasn't popular in the first place. so yeahhh...that's just how i see it. hopefully my reasoning makes sense to you!<p> 


	9. Duty First

Hey everyone! (updated 3/21/12)

I wanted to share a something fun with you guys for this chapter, since the end is so depressing xP When I originally posted this chapter, I'd scribbled and colored some character designs for Yuhan and Riya. Now drawing is definitely not my forte in art lol…but the problem with my writing is that my characters tend to distort their appearances in my head every time I describe them, so I sketched some pictures on a little notepad for personal reference. Then I got a little too into it and threw in some colored pencils…but afterwards I shared it for fun anyway. Several months later I went crazy on deviantart anddd...long story short, I've gotten rid of my drawings for very obvious reasons :P

* * *

><p>"Hiroshu…I think I'll consider murdering you again."<p>

"_What?_"

The low, bickering voices echoed loudly throughout the vast, gloomy space surrounding them.

"Don't act like you didn't do anything! Look at this mess!" snapped the Peace Orator, motioning below himself with a stony palm.

"Stop overreacting!" his partner groaned. "What did I do? Really?"

"Huh, you tell me_..._" the tired agent replied dryly. "What _did_ you do?"

"_Nothing!_ Now if you'd kindly point that glove away from me…"

"If you did 'nothing,' then could you please tell me why _we're 30 feet off the ground?_"

The two agents were hanging from the jagged ceiling of a wide, open chamber of headquarters. The room was almost pitch black, and its coarse, rocky walls made it resemble a large cave. Yuhan was clinging onto a huge, rusty chain with a hooked end for support while Hiroshu dangled upside down beside him, sticking to the ceiling from his stone boots. Several other agents were suspended around them as they argued, keeping themselves off the ground using similar means.

Hiroshu shifted uncomfortably as a fold of his robe flopped down over his face. "I told you, I didn't do anything wrong!" He declared indignantly. "Long Feng wanted that kid brainwashed, so I brainwashed him! No one's _ever_ found their way back here before, so I'm sure it has nothing to do with anything I did -"

"The only way he could've found his way back here is if he _remembered_ something, Hiroshu!" Yuhan cut in, his sleep-deprived eyes flaring. "That means conversion! Brainwashing! You! Your fault!"

"_Shut up_, you two!" Tyru hissed furiously, hanging a few chains away. "Are you deaf? They're right there!"

Every agent in the room fell completely silent. All eyes focused on the thick, metal door separating the chamber from the rest of headquarters. Hushed and anxious voices could be heard on the other side, echoing clearly in the darkness.

"_I think it's through here."_

Hiroshu gulped, recognizing the voice immediately. It belonged to Jet. Meanwhile, Yuhan tightened his grip on the chain he hung from. Though his partner had done a poor job of brainwashing, the tired agent felt truly to blame for the whole ordeal. Long Feng had entrusted him alone to Jet's conversion, and he'd let his personal problems stop him from obeying. Because of his negligence, the entire Dai Li headquarters was now in danger of being discovered. Jet had regained all of his memories and had somehow infiltrated headquarters. Even worse, the Avatar was with him. Yuhan had never felt more ashamed in his life.

The door screeched loudly as it slid open, and a crack of dim light shining in from the hallway outside began to stretch across the shadowy room. The agents clinging to the ceiling didn't move a muscle, listening quietly to the solitary sounds of timid footsteps entering the chamber.

Almost everyone in the room jumped when the door suddenly slammed shut again, causing some dust to fall from the walls. At once, the crystal lanterns placed throughout the chamber reacted to the sudden darkness, illuminating the air with a stunning green light. Yuhan blinked and peered down at the small shapes moving across the floor.

Every single member of the little group was very young. "Now _that's _something different." The speaker appeared to be the Water Tribe boy that Long Feng had mentioned (Soak-a? Sokka? Socks? Yuhan couldn't recall his name). Shifting uncomfortably in his sleeveless and ocean-colored tunic, he looked up and caught the Peace Orator's eye for a moment before gazing around at the other agents. There were a total of seven children in the little group. One of them, who stood out brightly in orange and yellow, caught Yuhan's attention immediately. Every agent in the Dai li had been taught to recognize certain unmistakable features of Avatar Aang, and his clothing was only one of them. From where he was, though, Yuhan could barely make out the blue patterns of the boy's distinct tattoos. Nevertheless, it was a peculiar feeling to actually _see_ the Avatar for the first time. The sleep-deprived agent was almost tempted to lean closer for a better look until Long Feng's intimidating voice cut through the silence. He appeared behind the young group, accompanied by two other agents.

"You have made yourselves enemies of the state." From the tone of his voice, Yuhan could tell that his leader was beyond peeved about the situation. The middle-aged man would probably kill the sky bison itself out of spite, if he could.

The group of children on the ground all positioned themselves into unique stances, preparing for battle. The Peace Orator sighed. His cue was next.

"Take them into custody."

Yuhan and the rest of the agents dropped quietly from the chamber ceiling, landing swiftly around the Avatar and his friends and surrounding them completely.

O/O

"Ow…" Hiroshu rolled over on the ground, rubbing his stomach. Yuhan was sitting a few feet away, gingerly lifting an arm up to examine his own injuries. His sleeve bore a huge, gaping hole where Jet had stabbed – no, _hooked_ his sword through the fabric. The young Orator had been aiming one of his stone gloves at the group's Earthbender, distinguishable by her pale yellow tunic and loose green undershirt. Though she was blind, the little girl (named Toph, he believed...or Tough?) was noticeably wrecking havoc among all the agents. If there was a chance of catching her off guard at all, it came from projectile attacks. However, the glove ended up misfiring and hit Hiroshu instead when Jet sprang out of nowhere, latching his sword onto Yuhan's sleeve and jerking his arm backwards.

Hiroshu initially ignored the blow, and the two partners had dashed up onto the chamber walls on either side of the blind Earthbender to land an attack. She not only miraculously dodged the massive pillars that shot out from the walls, but kicked up two boulders from her high platform with impossible speed, chucking them straight at the partners before they could even react. Hiroshu had taken the blow right in the gut and was currently feeling the aftermath as he lay on the dusty floor. Yuhan had managed to swing an arm out in front before being hit and falling 20 feet to the ground. Clumsily resting himself against the fragment of a large boulder as his arm dangled numbly, he wondered if it even mattered now.

"That…girl…" Hiroshu muttered, along with some other curses that Yuhan couldn't make out. The two glumly watched as Jet and the Avatar ran from the room after Long Feng and as their fellow agents were met with a variety of blows; some were being whipped backwards by a long, seemingly alive streak of water, while others were struggling to ward off an endless flow of arrows. Some were even falling from the impact of what looked like…a boomerang. The vast majority, however, were still being pummeled by that terrifying blind girl. As Yuhan and Hiroshu observed these agents disappearing beneath massive walls of rocks and landslides, they began to feel more appreciative of their own injuries.

The chamber continued to shake and echo as its walls cracked open and as the ground became further distorted beneath the will of the blind Earthbender. Any attempts to catch her off guard with projectiles or gloves were continually prevented by her friends. The rest of the Dai Li agents eventually joined Yuhan and Hiroshu on the ground.

"We've gotta catch up to Aang and Jet! Come on!" yelled Soak-a/Sokka/Socks. His friends quickly gathered behind him as they rushed for the exit. The room went completely silent, save for the groans of several injured agents.

Hiroshu managed to sit back up again, one hand still over his aching stomach. He let out a shaky whistle, despite his battered state. "Where can I learn to earthbend like that?" Almost every other agent in the room, who'd all suffered damage from the blind girl, shot him a hateful glare. "What?" he remarked innocently. "I'm just saying!"

Yuhan wanted to shoot his glove at his partner again, but he stopped after realizing that his arm still felt numb and that the stone plates were already long gone. He gave up and gazed warily at Hiroshu. "You…"

"YOU FOOLS!" Long Feng came crashing back into the room atop his own wave of earth, his frightening voice causing everyone to cringe. "The Avatar and his friends are getting away!" he roared. "Do you want all of Ba Sing Se to find out about the war? We must pursue them at once!" He glanced around for a moment at his battered agents laying about the room. "Those of you still capable of combat, follow me!" he commanded, disappearing from the room just as quickly with a loud rumble.

Yuhan and several other agents staggered to their feet, brushing debris from their dusty uniforms. Hiroshu stayed sitting on the floor. "I think I'll pass." He leaned contently against what was left of the chamber wall, folding his hands behind his head.

Hiroshu's partner rolled his eyes before joining the other agents as they began gliding swiftly across the stone floor with their boots. He stopped abruptly and almost tripped when the Grand Secretariat appeared suddenly before him.

"Yuhan. I presume that Jet's conversion was a failure?" Long Feng's expression was unreadable, which made it all the more terrifying.

The young Orator hung his head. "Yes, sir..." he mumbled. "The conversion was initially successful, but it did not last as long as your expectations. I apologize greatly." Yuhan was determined not to let Hiroshu share any of the certain punishment. He alone was to blame for ignoring his duties.

Long Feng stared down the young agent for an eternity before finally speaking again. "As my most talented Peace Orator..." he began slowly, "I would have expected a much longer lasting memory retention from you, if not a permanent alteration of the mind." The agent could not respond. "However, those associated with the Avatar have always been known to cause extreme disturbances in our activities, be it conversions or maintaining utopia." The Cultural Minister sighed, his expression showing very rare signs of uneasiness. "I suppose their knack for trouble has proven too great for even your skills to contain," he concluded dismissively. "Well - off we go, then."

Yuhan had barely taken two steps after his leader before being stopped again. Long Feng stroked his beard in consideration for a moment. "Actually, Jet's friends are still with him in Chamber 27. We wouldn't want them wandering around headquarters for long now, would we?" he remarked. "Go see to their conversion, and take extra precaution this time."

"Yes…sir?" The Cultural Minister had disappeared in a flurry of earth before the agent could even answer. Yuhan darted back in the opposite direction. He wasn't really bothered by his change of orders at all. Right now, even brainwashing sounded better than facing that blind girl again, anyway.

O/O

The Peace Orator was almost hit with a spiraling arrow the moment he reached Chamber 27. Though he swiftly shot up a wall from the ground, the earth sprang up crumbly and unevenly as he winced from the pain of his injured arm. The arrow scraped the side of his hat as it soared past him with threatening speed. The startled agent barely had time to look up, narrowly dodging another arrow that accompanied a small dagger.

Yuhan was moving too fast to make out the two distorted figures standing in the distance as he avoided more attacks. It soon occurred to him that there was an odd pattern with the arrows - or a complete lack of a pattern. They were being shot blindly and recklessly in his general direction, as if whoever wielded them purely wanted to _hurt _him, frighteningly enough.

The agent leapt off the floor to avoid a new flurry of arrows that flew at his feet. During the split second that he was suspended in the air, Yuhan finally caught a good enough glimpse of his attackers to see where they were positioned. He came back down hard on the ground, his feet landing in a firm stance as he gave a crisp and decisive thrust of his arms. His teeth gritted from the pain of his earlier injuries, but the attack carried through precisely.

The arrows instantly ceased fire as several large shards of rock jutted up from the earth below Yuhan's attackers. One of them gave a small yell of surprise as the pointed shards closed in, pinning her (or his?) arms to her body and coming to a halt right beneath her neck. The other lost his grip on his bow, causing it to clatter across the ground as the stone enclosed his body as well.

The attackers struggled for only a few seconds before realizing that they were utterly trapped. Yuhan slowly paced across the ground towards them, rubbing his injured arm. He stopped when his gaze suddenly shifted to a third figure that he hadn't noticed before. His eyes widened.

There was a body between his attackers.

Its limbs were spread out upon the cold floor, laying completely still and silent. The agent cringed as a haunting vision suddenly took hold of his mind. The still figure of a certain old man looked quite similar to what he saw now. Yuhan gradually inched closer and closer to the body, hesitating before looking down at its face.

It was Jet.

"GET AWAY FROM HIM!" The sheer anguish and fury of the sudden voice caused Yuhan to take a sharp step backwards, and he whipped his head towards the speaker. It was the female attacker (he was sure of her gender after hearing her high tone). Her small, short figure was almost obscured beneath her dull, padded armor. Puffy brown hair covered her head, similar to but flatter than Jet's. Her dark blue headband hid her brows and almost the top of her eyelids as well. What was left of them was heavily swollen with tears.

Expressionless green eyes met hateful red eyes. Yuhan was reminded of Liu. He turned uncomfortably to look at the other attacker. This one was a tall, thin, and pale boy. His course black hair was tied back in a short tail beneath a wide rice hat, and his thick eyebrows were narrowed with rage. Though he said nothing, his vile expression was no different than the girl's.

The agent decided to turn his back to Jet's two companions, stooping low towards the still body lying before him. He could sense his prisoners struggling furiously despite the hard stone encased around them. Though he tried not to look at the lifeless face for too long, Jet's expression seemed to indicate a peaceful departure...at the very least. He gently lifted the boy's back from the ground and slid the limp body over his shoulder. The female attacker let out another tortured sob. Yuhan's entire body seemed to go numb from having to carry the remains of someone so full of energy only about an hour ago. He rose heavily from the ground beneath the extra weight, finally facing the exit. His good arm supported Jet on his shoulder while his injured arm slowly reached out before him. The tall shards of rock enclosed around the two prisoners began shifting across the ground towards the door, pushing along the trapped bodies within them.

Yuhan followed his rock encasements/prisoners out the exit, trying not to make too much noise. The two companions' heads hung low as their bodies dragged across the floor. After traveling only few feet from the chamber, however, the agent suddenly thought twice. He quickly made his way back into the dark room and gently lowered Jet to the ground once more.

He'd have to come back to the boy later. His primary instructions were to convert the prisoners first. They stared in disbelief as he briskly walked back out, leaving the body behind dragging them towards the nearest conversion chamber.

O/O

Long Feng's best Peace Orator now stood before Jet's companions, carefully lighting the soon-to-be revolving lantern. The two stood side by side, their bodies pinned securely beneath stone restraints against the wall before him. As he silently repositioned the lantern some more, he could feel their eyes boring holes into his skin, burning with questions.

_Why? _

Because it was his duty, he wanted to tell them. Because Long Feng murdered Jet for his lack of obedience. Because that lack of obedience came from Yuhan's negligence to convert him. Because…Jet's death was his fault. And because they, as violent threats to the Dai Li (unlike Liu and Mina), would be killed too if he didn't do it right this time. But only silence passed between the agent and his prisoners.

The young agent eventually moved to his usual position in front of the lantern, folding his hands behind his back as he faced Jet's companions. As expected, they stared back with a mixture of hate and confusion. He could no longer let those expressions affect him. He was a Dai Li agent and a Peace Orator, completely detached from any commoners who fell to his brainwashing prowess. He knew now that no one - not even _her - _could be allowed to interfere with his duties. The consequences were too great. Yuhan would not fail this time.

"There is no war in Ba Sing Se."

The lamp floated across its rail, glowing brightly.

* * *

><p><em>wt183: <em>Oh, I meant less than 3 as in the little emoticon heart that you use with the arrow and the number 3 LOL. the "less than" symbol doesn't actually work on this site. I'm glad you're still enjoying this :) Thank youuu!

_Kimberly T. :_ Aw, shucks...I wrote the part with Yuhan meeting Riya with the Panda Lilies before the part about Hiroshu showing up with the ridiculous letter lol. It does sound like the volcano trip was all in a day doesn't it? (slaps forehead) It was supposed to be like...2 or 3 days haha. I think I'll go add "2 Days Later..." before the Panda Lily scene. Thanks for pointing it out! :D


	10. Peasant Meets Royalty

I want to thank my wonderful beta SO MUCH for offering her criticism and revisions on my work! Though she's only had time to edit the beginning of this chapter, it's so booootiful already...please excuse the sudden change to ugly writing after the first few scenes xD Other than that though, ABFG's helped me solidify and expand my ideas for the whole story! And I'm blessed for that. Please give her your luv.

Now regarding this chapter...today marks the FIFTH WEEK of no updates! D: I'm SO sorry! School is school...that's all I can really say :/ Therefore I took it upon myself to put lots of quality effort into this chapter to make up for it, and this time we get a nice look at another point of view that I never really addressed before. It's more than twice as long as any other chapter...so I hope it'll be worth your while! xP I did my best. Behold!

* * *

><p>Riya would not cry. No matter how tightly the suppressed sobs constricted her aching chest. No matter how close she was to choking on the lump that clogged her throat. No matter how painfully the tears pinched her eyes, threatening to leak out…<p>

She would not let herself cry.

Crying had not given her the ability to earthbend, so she could play with the rest of the children instead of sitting and watching. Crying did not cure her birth parents of their terminal illness. Crying could not bring her foster parents back from the dead. Crying was only the submission to loneliness. And Riya would not cry.

Slowly, she lit four sticks of incense. The curling wisps of smoke drifted high into the air within her bedroom, the mournful scent seeping into her lungs. Riya quietly stuck the ends of the burning sticks into a wooden, boat-shaped holder. Behind the glowing incense and a few fruits rested four wooden plaques. The girl had no portraits of any of her parents. To fill the obvious void, she had smoothed out and polished the most appealing scraps of wood she could find. As elegant as she could possibly do, she'd carved her family's names into them. Over the years, the carvings had become more and more elaborate. Several embellishments of vines and flowers now surrounded the wooden characters, forming a beautiful frame around them. The whole arrangement lay atop a small folded blanket, which had faded to a dull grey from constant use.

The hazel-eyed girl knelt before her little altar in her plain nightgown, just as she'd done every night for several years. "Mother, Father, Mina, Liu…" Riya called to them as naturally as if they were all standing before her. She leaned back up, resting on her knees. "Mr. Lai's poodle monkey somehow managed to eat through all of his clothes today." Her cheerful tone was betrayed by her shimmering eyes. "But he was really happy with the mending. After I finished patching it all up, I actually got some extra silver pieces from him. Look what I bought for you with them!" She waved a new packet of red and yellow incense sticks before her alter, half laughing and half choking.

"Anyway," Riya added, clearing her throat, "A lot of good things have been happening for me." She reached behind her back and pulled out a fresh flower with curling black and white petals. "He gave me another one! Can you believe it?" She smiled into the distance. "Hiroshu delivered it to me since he won't be here for the week. It's an apology gift for not visiting me. That Yuhan…" Riya's eyes lit up at the thought of him, but her expression became stern again as she gazed back into her wooden plaques. "Well, what I really wanted to tell you today is….that I'm happy." She swallowed back some more tears. "I mean – I'm the happiest I've ever been since…since you all left. A-and, I just wanted to let you know that I've been doing well, and…" Her words became clogged inside her throat. She tightened her grip around the thick stem of the flower and took a deep breath.

"I wish you could have met him. I wish you _all_ could've met him," Riya whispered hoarsely. The edges of the wooden plaques became blurred, the characters illegible. The trembling young woman bit down hard on her quivering lip. She would not cry.

Riya bowed before the burning incense sticks, which had grown considerably shorter. "Anyway…like always…please watch over me…and Yuhan." Her lips smiled a little. "He takes so much of the emptiness away..."

She paused for a few moments, making sure their dead spirits received the prayers. "Also, our neighbors really like him now – and that's saying something. Even _you_ know that!" she somehow managed to chuckle.

Her gentle fingers wrapped around the stem of the panda lily, and her eyelids dropped as she inhaled its scent. "He's coming back. Tomorrow." A wide smile stretched across her face. "And with your blessing, maybe he won't be called back so early this time," she added affectionately. "I hope it's alright with you that I want to spend more time with Yuhan. I can't help it. I just…" she laughed, her voice pure and joyful. "I mean – he always seems uncomfortable, but I love the way he jumbles up whatever he says. I love watching his eyes speak for him instead. I love his rare smiles. I…"

_RAP! RAP! RAP!_ Riya jerked backwards, completely startled by the sudden banging on her door. She accidentally landed on top of the panda lily, tearing apart a few of its petals. She instantly sprang to her feet, however, dashing from her bedroom and leaving the tattered flower behind.

"Riya! _Riya!_" The muffled voice behind the front door became clearer and clearer as she quickly approached it, the frantic rapping on the wood growing louder and more frightening.

"Oh – Mr. Huang!" Riya's expression relaxed a little at the recognition. "You scared me!" she said breathlessly, clasping a hand over her chest. Her eyes suddenly widened in alarm. Her neighbor had tears dripping from his messy, unshaven chin. "What's wrong?"

Mr. Huang could barely hold himself together as he stumbled into her little house. Riya had to help him into a chair as he struggled to contain himself. His long black hair was badly disheveled and tangled hastily into a topknot, and the stench of his frayed yellow tunic indicated several days of personal neglect. He finally forced out some words out after a few strangled attempts. "Riya…you know my little boy, Shen, r-right?"

She nodded, placing a hand on the middle-aged man's shoulder. She could feel the dread already crawling within her chest. Mr. Huang lived a few houses down from her, and his five-year-old son would always tag along during her daily errands. Riya enjoyed little Shen's company and had shared many laughs with him. However, she had taken note of his absence over the past few weeks. "Did something happen to him?" Her voice shook.

"He's been awfully ill," Mr. Huang managed to say with a bit of composure. "The local doctor told us what he needs. And it's…something that can't be found anywhere in the Lower Ring. So…he's going to die. He has…maybe a few days left," he choked, failing to stop a flood of tears from flowing out of his swollen eyes. He angrily swiped them away with a dirty sleeve. Riya struggled to contain her own tears as she processed the terrible news.

The middle-aged man inhaled deeply, hesitating for several seconds before speaking again. "We've asked the Dai Li, Riya," he said cautiously as he met her gaze. The petite girl immediately jolted at the mention of _his_ organization. "They won't give any of us permission to leave the Lower Ring. It's final," Mr. Huang continued. He sighed, bracing himself for her certain rebuttal.

"No…no, that can't be!" Her face was twisted with shock and fury. "Do they know he's going to _die?_ Were you clear about the situation? Did you -"

"Riya!" Mr. Huang interrupted, his eyes flaring. "We've tried everything. They're not who you think! They could care less if the entire Lower Ring drops dead tomorrow!" His expression softened a little when he noticed the tears welling up her eyes. "Listen to me! I said that we asked the Dai Li…I didn't say that we asked Yuhan."

She looked confusedly back at her neighbor. "But…isn't that the same -"

"No, it's not. But that's a conversation for later. The main problem here is that Shen's going to die…" he almost choked again on the last sentence. "And none of us have permission to do anything about it…_almost_ none of us." Mr. Huang watched carefully as realization dawned over the girl's face.

"You mean…I can go…because of Yuhan?" Riya paused. "Wait, why _didn't_ you ask him though? I'm sure he would've been happy to – oh, he's been gone, hasn't he…" She looked down.

Mr. Huang nodded slowly. "Exactly…But I don't want to waste any more time. Riya, I need to ask you something very important. I've come to you because…my family has no other hope to turn to." He fiercely swiped away another tear.

The young woman looked back at him anxiously. He took in a deep breath. "Did Yuhan ever leave you any means of traveling outside the Lower Ring…in the case of his absence?" He looked desperately into her eyes.

Riya took his trembling hands into her own, clasping it caringly. This man was her dear friend. He didn't deserve this fate, and neither did poor Shen. "Yes…yes, he did!" she whispered. "I know what you want me to do now, and you don't have to worry about anything! Yuhan left me the official seal of his organization. It should work – it _has_ to work. Please tell me whatever little Shen needs, and I'll bring it back to you as soon as I can!"

Her despairing neighbor was so overcome with relief that he speechlessly collapsed against the chair. "Oh Spirits…Oh, Dear Spirits. Thank you – _Thank you!_ Riya, I can't…I…Thank you _so,_ so much – you have no idea how…" In a swift blur, the man was tightly hugging the smaller woman, crying into her shoulder. He owed her everything now.

"Oh my!" He quickly let go. "I'm so sorry you have to see me like this, Riya. I-I don't know how I can thank you!" He was still shaking from the news. "Money's scarce now, but I'm sure I can –"

"Shhh…no need for money. It'll all be okay, Mr. Huang. From now on, Shen will never suffer. I'm sure of it. He's a good boy." Riya soothingly patted his heaving back. Tomorrow was going to be a long day.

O/O

The sun began to crawl slowly over the horizon, barely touching the sky above Riya's little house. The girl was already awake, though. She sat atop a pile of blankets on the floor, unwrapping a thick, gold-green package. A fond memory drifted across her mind as she slowly lifted the crisp, embellished edges of the smooth paper.

_"__My mom made me go shopping with her the other day…" he explained, with a hint of irritation in his emerald eyes,_ _"and well, she kind of made me buy this for you – not that I_ didn't _want to buy you anything! I'm just no good when it comes to buying fancy stuff like this, that's more for someone like…my mom. So yeah, she thought this was pretty – well, I think it's pretty too, don't get me wrong…Anyway…I bought this. For you."_

Riya smiled, remembering how he'd nearly dropped the package, catching it in midair and presenting it to her sheepishly. She read the little white card beneath the front flap of the package for the hundredth time.

_Dear Riya,_

_Yuhan and I want you to have this. I believe that it will bring out the most of your beauty, should you ever visit the Upper Ring (Don't forget about dinner this week!) You probably don't need it in order to look beautiful, but it'll look splendid on you anyway. I hope it's to your liking. Keep taking care of my little Yuhan for me!_

_From Mrs. Tsen (And Yuhan)_

She loved to reread the card…just to stare at his ragged (yet beautiful in her eyes) handwriting. He'd crossed out "Hannie" exactly three times with a scribble, replacing each one with his formal name. Even in their early childhood days, he had angrily stopped her from using the nickname. To her amusement, nothing had changed over the years.

Riya quickly continued to unwrap the package, remembering the important task at hand. The fresh scent of clean, unused linen filled the air. She carefully lifted each piece of an extravagant set of robes from the package, laying them separately onto the floor in front of her.

It was only because she had to travel to the Upper Ring today that Riya even dared to unfold the stunning outfit. It seemed like the dust of the Lower Ring would infect the pristine cloth as soon as it left the protection of its packaging. The girl hesitated before getting dressed. She wasn't used to such expensive clothing…

Yuhan's gift consisted of two layers of clothing draped over a thin, silvery dress of fine silk with tight-fitting sleeves. The first layer was a pure white robe with a high collar and thick bell sleeves, both edged with gold. Its long, flowing skirt swept the floor, only worsening Riya's dust concerns. The second and outermost layer was a sleeveless, deep jade robe with overlapping shoulders. The two ends of this robe met along the right side of her torso and left a long slit that stretched almost to her waist, revealing the snowy skirt below. Each corner was heavily embroidered with brilliant gold clouds and outlined in curling detail with metallic blue. The whole arrangement was tied together below her chest in a wide golden sash, finished off with diamond-shaped beads hanging down the front from its thin tassels.

Riya had ignored one last item in the package. It was a complimentary hairpiece, huge and magnificently painted with even more gold and green. A long, polished wood hairpin was included to attach any desired flowers to the mass. The girl thought for a moment before choosing to pick up only the wooden hairpin. The horribly large and rectangular ornament did not appeal to her at all – not that Yuhan minded, anyway. He'd had enough bad experiences with gaudy hairstyles himself.

The young woman wrapped her long hair high up into a bun, securing it in place with the hairpin. She ignored the tresses that fell back down the sides of her face and walked over to her porcelain flower vase, pulling out a lone chrysanthemum among the panda lilies. (_"Sorry. The volcano burned all of the panda lilies today,"_ the attached note had read) She picked off a large portion of the stem, sticking the remaining stub into a specially carved crevice of her hairpin. She was finally ready to leave. Riya struggled to make her way across the room, nearly tripping over her long skirt.

The now appropriately dressed girl emerged from her house carrying two documents. One was, of course, the pass that Yuhan had left her. It granted access to every location in Ba Sing Se, even the royal palace. He had signed it himself, fusing the seal with the document using a strange mixture of black and gold dust; only Earthbenders in the Dai Li were taught how to do this. Riya's neighbors, upon hearing of the document's advantages, had grown excited over the possibility of contacting the Earth King. They very politely asked if she could also take along a second document. It was a signed petition, aimed at improving the disease-ridden environment of the Lower Ring. Her small frame was nearly crushed under the numerous embraces she'd been piled with after she agreed to deliver it.

Riya waved her final goodbyes to her enthusiastic neighbors, blushing from their outbursts of gratitude. The petition was hidden in her robes while she clutched the pass tightly in her hands; her neighbors had warned her not to make their document visible to the Dai Li, "No offense to Yuhan."

With a glance from her hazel eyes, she saw the high separating wall of the Lower Ring approaching and took a deep breath. Still half-tripping over her unrecognizable clothing, her feet somehow managed to take her the way…

O/O

Two tall figures in emerald walked in unison along the enormous grey wall of the Lower Ring. Riya couldn't help feeling a little uneasy when they turned their shadowy faces toward her without a single hint of emotion.

It was impossible to tell the two apart as she approached the statue-like pair. They remained silent, watching her until she had stopped less than three feet before them. The Dai Li agents seemed to tower over her, similar to Yuhan but far more ominous.

"Can I help you?" one of the agents finally asked with all the stillness of a corpse. Riya's eyes suddenly became petrified at the horribly familiar words.

_Can I help you?_

_Sir, I beg you…lost parents…starving…just a child…do something!_

_Why…peasants…take her..._

_No…afford…I know…leader…punish you…I swear…worst rebellion!_

_Very well…Come with me…_

The fragmented memory had remained in her mind through the years. Riya could not recall much - only that it had come from a time of unbearable pain. The sudden trigger had caught the young woman completely off guard, and she struggled to steady herself while the agents continued watching her indifferently. She could not think about that. Not now.

"I would like your permission to leave the Lower Ring today," Riya finally stated, her voice surprisingly clear and confident.

She couldn't tell which agent was speaking. "It is the strict policy of Ba Sing Se that the citizens of the Lower Ring remain behind this wall at all times," he replied dully. There was a pause. "It is also the strict policy of Ba Sing Se that any unauthorized possession of Upper Ring merchandise be met with appropriate punishment." He had noticed her outfit – and assumed that she'd stolen it.

Riya tugged at one of her sleeves. "This was given to me by someone from the Upper Ring," she replied calmly, "as was this." She held out the small, emerald-colored pass. It was a stiff, rectangular document with silver thread woven along the edges and tied off with a long tassel at the corner. The seal was a pair of shiny black wings, crisscrossed over a golden Earth Kingdom emblem. The hovering feathers seemed to act as shields – a fine representation of the Dai Li.

The agent recognized the document immediately, swiftly taking it into his stone-covered hands. "Where did you get this?" There was the slightest hint of suspicion in his voice. His finger trailed along the seal as he read the last sentence of the document out loud. _"I solemnly vow that this pass has been granted to Riya of the Lower Ring with my best judgment._ _Signed, Yuhan Tsen._" The agent looked disdainfully back at the girl, scoffing. "Well, that's certainly confusing…I didn't know he had the time to hang around peasants these days."

Riya's eyes narrowed. Who did this man think he was, scorning the entire Lower Ring like that? But she forced herself to stay calm, gritting her teeth. "_Do I have your permission?_"

The agent-clones glanced at each other. Yuhan's pass was completely legit, whether they liked it or not. Riya smugly watched as they sharply turned their backs to her and faced the towering wall. With a crisp, synchronized wave of their arms, the wall sliced open. The two massive sides slid apart, revealing the world outside Riya's poor community.

"Thank you!" The young woman cheerfully waved to the agents as she walked past them. They remained standing in the dust behind her, visibly annoyed.

O/O

_W-where am I? _

_It's about time you woke up...We're at the refugee arrival station. Someone here might want you. _

_Who are you? _

_An agent of the Dai Li. I really shouldn't have to do this…_

_You're one of those guys who throw rocks at bad people!_

_(Sigh) Forget I said anything._

_I want my Mommy and Daddy…_

_If they were still around, I wouldn't have to sit here with you!_

_Do you like me? _

…

"Hey. _Hey!_ You planning on getting off?"

"H-huh? …Oh, yes I am. Thank you…" Riya groggily opened her eyes. She'd fallen asleep during the long train ride across Ba Sing Se. The young man who shook her awake wore very peculiar clothing. His dazzling, multicolored robes looked almost regal. Wait…_regal? _Riya sat back up with a jolt. She was definitely in the right place now. She took one look out the window and gasped.

Every house in the Upper Ring looked like its own palace, surrounded by lush hills and gigantic, pillar-like trees. The Lower Ring citizen seemed lost in the midst of all the orange and gold tiles surrounding her as she stepped down from the train. Everything was too enormous…she had no idea where to start. Riya fidgeted nervously with her pass as she glanced around for any sign of a guide, if one even existed.

The young man from the train saw her shifting uncomfortably and took the chance to approach her. "Sooo…" He came up behind her, smiling widely. "Feeling a little lost?"

Riya turned around, surprised that he hadn't left. The skinny boy looked no older than her, though his arrogant grin seemed to indicate that he believed otherwise. His glossy black hair was evidently pampered and combed back with utmost care. "Um…yes, I'm a little unfamiliar with the Upper Ring," she replied cautiously. "Do you happen to know where the local markets are?"

"You mean you don't live here?" The boy was standing too close for her liking, and the weird gleam in his dark brown eyes caused her to start inching away. "In the Upper Ring, we don't have 'markets.' We have _shopping complexes. _Some of them are almost as big as the Royal Palace itself." He grinned. Riya wasn't impressed. "And if you'd like, I can take you to all the best shops in Ba Sing Se, anddd…maybe to dinner later?" His wink was revolting.

"Oh! Well, I'd love to…" _No I wouldn't. _"But…I'm already seeing someone. Sorry!" Riya blushed a little at the thought of her beloved agent, who would probably shoot a stony fist at the boy if he'd been standing here now.

The boy completely misinterpreted the blush. He leaned even closer to the young woman, much to her disgust. He didn't notice her hazel eyes narrowing dangerously. "Are you sure about that?" he asked, reaching out an arm to wrap around her small shoulder. "You look like you could use some company out here. Come on, it'll be fun! No one has to know…"

_SMACK! _

O/O

Riya marched along the paved, endless roads of the Upper Ring by herself. If everyone in this part of the city was as shameless and conceited as that horrible boy, today was going to be awful. She would rather beg on the streets of the Lower Ring for the rest of her life than live here. A pang of guilt suddenly wrung her heart. Yuhan's family lived here._ No, that doesn't count, _she quickly reminded herself. _They originally came from the Lower Ring! _They_ have manners. Hmph! _She began to understand why Yuhan always seemed irritable whenever he had to visit his parents.

The girl's fuming mood eased a little when she finally found one of the shopping complexes. It was huge, of course, and shimmering from both its polished tiles and its shoppers, who were all draped in priceless clothing. To her relief, the majority of merchants there were courteous and helpful, and she was pointed to a medicine shop in no time. As she sifted through countless packets to find the correct herbs for little Shen, a loud and exaggerated voice from behind made her jump. Riya wheeled around only to realize that it hadn't been directed at her.

"_Hello! _Where do you keep your wood frog extract?" The speaker was a slender woman wearing a formal yellow dress with green cuffs, and her neck was covered with a darker green scarf bearing a shiny Earth Kingdom emblem. Part of her short brown hair was wound tightly around a narrow hairpiece atop her head.

"Good afternoon, Joo Dee!" replied the elderly merchant. "Spirits, _wood frog_ extract? Should you really be walking out and about today? You seem to have it pretty bad this time…"

"_Not at all!_ I'm perfectly fine. I've just been _so _busy helping my new guests adjust to the finest city in the world!"

Riya noticed two very disturbing things. One, the woman named Joo Dee looked terrible. Terrible being the way her sunken black eyes forced themselves open, surrounded by dark circles even worse than Yuhan's. Her very skin had grown white, and a few cold beads of sweat ran down her temples. Two…Her smile. Her wide, horrifying, _nightmarish_ smile. The girl was almost frozen in fear just from looking at it.

Joo Dee's face remained plastered with the grin as the merchant sighed and handed her a small vile of medicine. "They must be working you pretty hard lately, eh?"

The woman gave a high, unnatural laugh. "Oh _no, _it is a great pleasure to serve the Dai Li! They entrusted me with the _very _important task of guiding newcomers around our wonderful city, and I am deeply honored to fulfill any requests from the protectors of our cultural –"

"Yeah, yeah, I know…" the merchant muttered. "Just…look after yourself a little, okay?"

"Oh, you don't have to worry about me!" Joo Dee laughed again. She finally noticed Riya staring from the distance. "Can I help you?"

The girl became terrified when the frightening smile turned directly to her. This woman had crucial knowledge of the Upper Ring, though, so she'd have to endure it. "Y-yes! You said that you're a guide, right? Well, I don't live here, so would it be possible if you could –"

"_Hello, _I'm Joo Dee. Welcome to Ba Sing Se!" The reply was almost robotic. "We're so lucky to have our walls to create order."

"Um…yes, I suppose we are?" Riya gave a puzzled glance to the merchant, who shrugged his shoulders as if to say, _"Why are you surprised?" _She shifted her attention back to Joo Dee, who was still standing and smiling as widely as ever. "Actually, I live in Ba Sing Se," she continued uncertainly. "Just not…here."

"Isn't it just _wonderful _to live in such a perfect city?" The grin somehow stretched even wider.

"I guess? …Well, I wanted to ask if could you please give me directions to the Royal Palace. I won't take much of your time. There's something that I want to deliver to the Earth King, and –"

"_OH, _no!" Riya was beginning to grow tired of that laugh. "One doesn't just _pop in _on the Earth King!" The sickly woman cheerfully pointed up a finger as she spoke.

Riya was fed up with the rules of the Upper Ring. "Do you think I could 'pop in' with this?" She stiffly presented her pass. It immediately caused a reaction from Joo Dee that wasn't ridiculously enthusiastic for a change. Even the merchant's eyes widened at the sight.

"The seal of the Dai Li…" The woman read through the formal document for a moment, processing the rules that had been programmed into her head. "Well, you must be Riya of the Lower Ring!" she suddenly laughed, the horrific smile returning. "I am happy to assist you to the Royal Palace. Come, we'll take the finest carriage the Upper Ring has to offer! I think you'll really enjoy it."

The confused girl reluctantly followed the forever-smiling woman out the door after paying for Shen's medicine. The Upper Ring was such a strange place…

O/O

Riya was once again walking by herself. She'd fled the carriage after the first 10 or so minutes.

Her tour guide had been grinning and giving enthusiastic history lectures about their surroundings, but her delirium became evident as her fever worsened. Joo Dee's words began to slur together, her body began to waver unsteadily – and then out of nowhere, the smile disappeared. She'd suddenly grabbed onto Riya's shoulders in a horrible frenzy, screaming, _"How did I get here? Who am I? Tell me!" _The frightened girl had pulled herself free as the carriage came to a halt. _"Let me take care of her," _the driver told her. _"She's just very ill right now. I apologize." _ Riya hurriedly left the scene as Joo Dee continued to scream, _"TELL ME!"_ after her.

The Lower Ring citizen was more than ready to return to her cozy little house. Even _sicknesses_ in the Upper Ring scared her. She knew that fevers often caused delusions – she'd seen it in her own parents – but how did this woman even manage to _walk _with such severity of illness? Then again, she'd mentioned working for the Dai Li…

Despite Riya's respect for the organization, she had to agree that the Dai Li sometimes had impossible standards. Yuhan himself had almost fallen to illness a couple of times, living on a few hours of sleep per day and always pushing his endurance to its limits. He'd passed out over her kitchen table one afternoon, overwhelmed by fatigue. Riya had been dabbing at his hot forehead with a wet towel when he finally woke up again in her bedroom. His first reaction? _"I'M LATE!" …_And he'd bolted out the door after giving her a quick kiss on the cheek.

Yuhan had become one of the most revered agents in the Dai Li – even Riya knew that. But…he was also its prisoner. She'd realized this when it occurred to her one day that he no longer enjoyed earthbending. He had ceased to be creative, and he completely lacked his former spirit. Everything he did with the ground now was so mechanic, so solemn…to compare it to their childhood days would only be painful. How could she ever express this to him, though? The organization was his career, his _life, _and who was she to stop him from being loyal to Ba Sing Se? The city was safe because of people like Yuhan…but she still hated watching him pay such a terrible price.

A high, girly voice nearby interrupted her thoughts. "_…_and his eyes are just so dreamy…I wish he'd lift up his hat just a little more so I can see them better…"

It was a group of three giggling girls passing through the same bridge as she. They wore extravagant clothing comparable to her own, complete with giant hairpieces. It was impossible to distinguish their faces beneath all the layers of colorful makeup. Riya tried to ignore their conversation, quickly picking up her pace.

"...and they're the only two who ever _talk! _It's so adorable. If only I could get closer to him somehow…" sighed the voice again. Its owner wore an olive and gold kimono-like dress, and she appeared to be the leader figure in the group.

"You don't even know his _name_, Ling…" sighed a second girl. She was draped in a dark green robe over an embroidered beige underskirt.

"Yeah I do! I heard the other one call him Hiroshu! I think. Oh, his voice is to _die_ for!" Ling dramatically placed a hand over her heart.

_...What?_ Riya walked even faster.

The second girl spoke up again. "I don't know what you're talking about, the other one's a lot cuter than 'Hiroshu!' But I still need to find out _his _name – all I ever hear is 'kid' or 'buddy' whenever they're talking to each other."

Riya tried to cover her scarlet face as she and the girls were nearing each other on the bridge.

Ling giggled again. "You mean the one with the creepy eye shadows? Not my idea of attractive, if you ask -"

"No, I mean it! Haven't you seen _his_ eyes before? They're…Oh Spirits, they're just -"

"You two need to get over this already!" interrupted the third girl, who wore a strange, poncho-like cape over a tight coral qipao. "I'm sure they're starting to notice how you purposely trip and fall in front of them all the time. It's just pointless to keep stalking them…Can Dai Li agents even date citizens?" Her authoritative front was partially ruined by the hopeful curiosity in her tone.

The girls noticed Riya rushing past them and suddenly stopped to look, much to her horror.

"Hey, great hair!" Ling called out.

It was the last thing Riya would have expected her to say. She turned around, baffled. "W-what? Um, tha –"

"_For a peasant!" _Ling and the other two girls burst out in laughter. Riya stared back in confusion. Was it that obvious where she came from, or were they just being mean? …Or was the Lower Ring simply used as a topic of derision in this part of the city? Her eyebrows began to narrow.

"Well, I'm glad you cared to point it out. Thank you." Though she would gladly stand up for her humble community, Riya didn't want to start any trouble, especially with these gossipy girls. She was determined to be polite and to represent her community well. More importantly, she still had their petition to deliver…

"And where have _you _been shopping? That outfit looks fit for the circus! I really admire you for being brave enough to wear it in public, though." Ling snorted. The girls continued to giggle hysterically.

Riya stopped dead in her tracks. In reality, Ling had failed to convince her father to purchase her that very same dress, due to its price – she simply hated seeing anyone else wear it. Only one thought flashed through Riya's mind, however: _Insult to dress = Insult to Yuhan. _"For your information…" Her voice was low and dangerous. "I don't care if this dress is fit for the circus or for a three-legged badgermole. It came from someone who cherishes me – and he means the world to me. _That's _what matters." She suddenly smiled sweetly. "But from what I've heard…that's not something you girls can relate to, is it?"

All three girls seemed to gasp in unison. Ling took a vicious step forward. "Ha! _You _have a boyfriend? You should really consider looking in the mirror before trying to make up something like that, ugly peasant!"

The sweetness of Riya's laugh was frightening. "Ugly? At least I'm not desperate enough to try covering it with layers of cheap makeup. Anyway, you can believe what you want. I really don't mind."

"Why, you…" Ling and her friends glared furiously through their painted eyelids. "You're nothing but talk! I'd love to see that imaginary boyfriend of yours. Where is he now? Is he handsome?" she taunted, pretending to look around for him. Riya's face hardened. "Oh, what a shame! He isn't -"

"He isn't someone you'd want to mess with," cut in a deep voice. All four girls jumped. An all-too-familiar figure dressed in emerald robes had appeared out of nowhere. "Oh, and I'm assuming you're talking about my partner, of course." He smirked.

The girls had no idea when or how he even showed up behind them – Dai Li agents were skilled at doing those sorts of things, after all. Ling looked like she was about to pass out. "You're…you're…" She pointed waveringly at the agent, staring at his bright green eyes. She had never been so close before…

"Hiroshu. Pleasure to meet you." The agent bowed smoothly, causing the three Upper Ring girls to swoon. He turned over to Yuhan's girlfriend and smiled brightly. "Hi, Riya! I almost didn't recognize you – You look nice today! What brings you out here, anyway?"

"Thank you! Well, I'm trying to deliver something to the Royal Palace…" Riya tried not to laugh at the expressions on the other girls' faces.

"Oh, I can take you there if you want." Hiroshu grinned. "You'll probably get lost on your own. Besides, I need some air before I head back to headquarters. Your boyfriend's still down there, by the way."

The three gossipy girls finally pieced the information together. "_My partner…your boyfriend…" _The girl wearing dark green twisted her face in horror.

"I'd really appreciate that!" Riya let out a sigh of relief. Finally, someone _sane _had appeared to help her through the madness of the Upper Ring. "But only if you don't mind, though. I really don't want to cause you to be late or –"

"Spirits, you're just like Yuhan!" Hiroshu chuckled. "That kid throws death threats one moment and apologizes like an idiot the next…" He took note of the fangirls' excitement over learning his partner's name. "And of course I don't mind! We just have to hurry. Shall we go, then?"

"Yes, please. Thank you, Hiroshu." Riya shuffled away from the staring girls to join Yuhan's partner. She smiled ever so slightly during the split second in which she met Ling's fuming gaze.

"No problem!" Hiroshu took one last glance at his fangirls. "Have a nice afternoon, ladies!" He turned his back and gave a single wave of his hand as he left with his partner's girl.

Ling and her friends continued to stare after the two, their expressions mixed between adoration and hate.

O/O

"You should really know better than to argue with Upper Ring girls, Riya – they're crazy!" Hiroshu laughed as the two made their way towards the Palace. "But then again, you're the same crazy girl who decided to pick a fight with a bunch of drunk guys in a tea shop." He shook his head. "Still, those rich girls were probably just bored. It's a waste of time to try putting up with them."

Riya looked down embarrassingly. "I know. But they were insulting...Oh, what did I do?" She put her face into her hands. "I can't believe I made such a scene over a _dress! _I must've sounded horrible!"

Hiroshu smirked again. "_He _gave it to you, didn't he?"

The girl looked back up surprisingly. "How…"

"Like I said, you lovebirds are too similar. Your boyfriend gets the same way whenever I make fun of him about his precious bracelet," Hiroshu sniggered. "Took a few blows to the face from his stupid gloves, in fact."

Riya couldn't help but laugh a little as she pictured the vision. She instantly felt ashamed for doing so however, considering how grimly Hiroshu had spoken the last sentence. She was about to apologize for Yuhan's violent actions until she suddenly realized that Hiroshu was suffering a far worse injury. The agent walked alongside her with no problems, but he would sometimes wince and grasp at his upper abdomen. "Oh my – are you hurt?" Riya gasped. "I'm so sorry for making you walk this whole time! I should've let you rest!"

"What? The bruises on my face healed a long time ago! Why -"

"_No_, I mean your stomach!" Riya pointed frantically as Hiroshu winced once more.

"Oh, that…" Hiroshu tried to shrug it off, though his pained expression did nothing to ease Riya's concern. "We had some trouble down at headquarters. Intruders and the like. It was a pretty bad fight, I guess."

Riya's hand instantly flew over her mouth. "Is everyone okay? Is _Yuhan –_"

"He's _fine_, Riya!" Hiroshu sighed in exasperation. "He didn't even qualify for a medical examination. The only reason I'm out here is because it turned out I broke a rib or something, so they sent me to the doctor. I was supposed to return to headquarters right after."

"Oh. Sorry…"

"Stop _apologizing!_" The agent slapped his forehead. "It's not like headquarters is a fun place to be. I'd gladly take any excuse to stay out of that gloomy prison! And besides, who wouldn't want to take a field trip to the Palace with Yuhan's girl?" He grinned, then paused. "…I hope you're not going to take that personally. I'll be murdered for real if that kid gets the wrong message!"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Never mind…" Hiroshu muttered. The two began to cross the enormous courtyard surrounding the Royal Palace. "Anyway, enough about me getting beaten up. What do you think of the Upper Ring?"

"Um, it's very…interesting." The dullness of Riya's tone caused the agent to start laughing. "And I didn't know that you and Yuhan have…have…" Her face began to redden.

"Have what? Stalkers?" Hiroshu laughed even harder as Riya covered her face. "Of course we do! We're talented, politically powerful, and have pretty decent looks if I must say so myself. That's really all it takes to attract the average rich girl." He thoughtfully stroked his chin with a finger.

Riya stared. It always amazed her to see how Yuhan and his best friend could be such polar opposites.

Hiroshu noticed her bewildered expression. "Oh, but don't get any bad ideas about your boyfriend!" he quickly added. "He hates stalkers! Personally, I find them amusing since they make themselves really obvious, but he acts like it's punishable by death – typical of him, honestly. But least you don't have to worry about him being unfaithful."

"_I wasn't worried about him!_"

"Well, whatever you say. I'm just pointing – WATCH OUT!"

Riya screamed. A giant, flat stone disk had shot down from the sky above them, swallowing them in its shadow. Before she knew what was happening, she felt a stony hand shove her body hard. As she flew backwards and skidded across the cold marble of the courtyard, a deafening crash shook the ground, and she saw Hiroshu's emerald robes disappear into a cloud of dust that soon enveloped everything around her.

The dust began to clear as Riya stood back up shakily. The disk lay in scattered pieces around her feet. She looked frantically around, trying to see through the cloudy air. "H-Hiroshu? _Hiroshu!_"

"_What?" _The agent was kneeling several feet away. He was breathing hard, with one hand over his abdomen again. He'd shattered the disk just in time.

Riya ran to him, panicking as several more disks came crashing down around them. "_Are you okay?" _she yelled through the earsplitting noise. "What's going on? Where are these rocks coming –"

"Riya, you have to get out of here!" Hiroshu groaned as he pulled himself to his feet. "_I'm fine!_ It's just my stupid rib again! I wasn't supposed to do anything strenuous, or…" He gritted his teeth as another wave of pain shot through his body.

"W-what's happening? Will you be alright?" Riya tried to help him stand, but he raised a hand to stop her.

"The Palace is being invaded! They're shooting those plates to take down the intruders. It's too dangerous for you to go in there now – Get out of here!" As he shouted, a huge looming shadow floated across the ground towards the Palace doors.

Riya looked up and gasped. "The sky bison…" It was the same one that had appeared to her and Yuhan during the night on the Outer Wall. She was sure of it. Riya had always remembered its presence during that night like a dream...yet here it was again, storming the palace. Wait – there were _people _clinging to its back this time. What was going on? Her curiosity soon drowned out everything else. She squinted her eyes at the figure riding near the front of the bison. His small figure seemed to suggest a young age, and he appeared to be smashing the stone disks out of the way with a strange rod…

"_What are you doing?" _Hiroshu yelled, struggling to stay on his feet as his broken rib shifted out of place. "Didn't I say to go hide? Do you want to get yourself flattened under one of those things?"

The girl continued to stare, unable to control herself. "Who is that…?"

"No one – it's _no one!_ Now GO!"

Riya gave a small cry of surprise as a wave of earth suddenly lifted her off her feet and carried her like lightning across the ground. Hiroshu and the Palace disappeared from sight within seconds.

O/O

The Lower Ring citizen angrily rushed back towards the Royal Palace, struggling to keep her skirt from getting in the way. She'd been carried horribly far from the scene, thanks to Hiroshu's gesture. What was she supposed to do, run and hide while Yuhan's best friend was barely holding himself up? He would surely be killed at this rate. She had to do _something – _exactly what, she didn't know yet.

Several minutes dragged by before Riya's feet finally hit the expensive marble again. The courtyard was cracked badly, covered in shattered pieces of rock and distorted by domino-like walls jutting from random spots in the ground – and it was empty. Riya began to panic again. Where was Hiroshu? Did the intruders take him? Was he…No, he couldn't be…She gulped as she made her way through the ruined courtyard, looking around anxiously.

The sudden loud screeching of carriage wheels caused Riya to jump behind one of the jutting walls to hide. She sat fearfully against the cold stone, holding her breath. Were the Palace invaders back? She didn't dare to look.

Riya could hear the wooden door squeaking open and the carriage creaking under the weight of its passengers as they stepped out onto the courtyard. The first voice came from the direction of the Palace entrance. "Thank the Spirits, you're all finally here!" The voice sounded trained and formal – most likely belonging to a royal official. The hidden girl began to relax a little. "Where have you _been_? We sent the message out over two hours ago! They've probably reached the throne already! Go! Hurry!"

"Wait, slow down! _What in the world_ happened here?"

Yuhan. She could recognize his voice in her sleep. Riya immediately sprang to her feet, an overjoyed smile lighting up her face. Everything else around her seemed to melt away as her dear agent continued to question the situation, his voice being the one beautiful sound she heard. The ecstatic young woman jumped out from behind her wall.

Riya quickly hid herself again before she knew what she was doing. Something about the setting had made her nervous. Yuhan's back was turned to her, and four other agents stood around him, all examining the damage around them. In front of the group was, as she'd suspected, a Royal Guard atop an armored ostrich horse. The girl observed them cautiously as she peered out from the side of the wall. It was obvious that Yuhan had come here for extremely important matters, and the last thing Riya wanted to do was get in his way.

She smiled softly as her man continued to converse with the guard in the distance. Even his hand gestures and occasional shrugs were so easily distinguishable. "I'm still trying to understand what you're saying. _Calm down!_ So basically, the Avatar and three kids wrecked this whole place…and _all _of your guards were taken out?" he asked in disbelief.

"Yes, that's what I've been saying!" the Royal Guard replied indignantly.

"No it wasn't! All I heard was 'Ruin! Avatar! Palace! Kids!'" Riya stifled a giggle as she listened. Yuhan paused, appearing to remember the more pressing issues at hand. "You know what, forget it…We're late already, and Long Feng's probably getting angry. Round up the remainder of your troops. Make sure no one else enters the Palace." The guard nodded and rode away on his ostrich horse.

_The Avatar is in Ba Sing Se? Was that him on the sky bison? _Riya wondered as Yuhan and the other agents began climbing up the stairs of the Royal Palace with some difficulty; all of the steps had been flattened out for some odd reason. She sighed disappointedly as she watched his retreating figure.

The girl whipped her head around when a second carriage suddenly came crashing into the courtyard. She was surprised to hear muffled screaming from within it, which grew loud and clear as the door flew open – and as a delirious woman in yellow suddenly fell out onto the ground. The woman was back on her feet within seconds, and she bolted away from the courtyard in frenzy.

"STOP HER!" the carriage driver yelled to the Dai Li agents, still climbing in the distance. "She's gone crazy! You're the ones who control her – _do something!_"

All five agents quickly slid back down the steps, landing on the ground in perfect synchronization. The woman saw them and screamed even louder, sprinting as fast as she could. Riya took a sharp breath when the figure drew near enough for her to recognize as the tour guide from earlier.

It was Yuhan who gave a single, swift wave of his arm. Joo Dee cried out despairingly as the ground beneath her legs melted into mud. The agent then made a fist, solidifying the earth again when she'd sunken in to her waist. Riya's eyes were glued to the scene with a mixture of shock and confusion. The woman must have committed a crime, she told herself. It was a Dai Li agent's duty to capture escaping criminals. Yuhan's actions were perfectly acceptable…so _why_ did it feel like there was something awfully wrong about the situation?

The agents approached the struggling woman in a straight row and stood before her terrified face. One of them sighed, turning indifferently to the driver. "Did it occur to you that we're running late?"

"LET ME GO!" Joo Dee screeched before the driver could answer. She was still trying in vain to pull herself from the ground, looking fearfully between her captors.

"This is a waste of our time," scowled the annoyed agent. "Joo Dee, the Earth King has invited you to Lake Laogai." He was surprised to see no reaction from her.

"_That's not my name!" _The sickly woman cried, struggling even harder. "It's Suyin!"

Riya gasped silently from her hiding place. She began to wonder if this was a nightmare. Nothing she heard made sense even remotely.

"Dear Spirits, she's so loud…" sighed another agent. "The whole city's going to hear her at this rate. Someone needs to redo her conversion before she goes blabber mouthing."

"But we have no time to take her to headquarters!" cut in the third agent. "Maybe if someone volunteers…"

"Whoever doesn't show up is going to be killed by Long Feng!" the fourth agent snapped. "There's no time! What're we…" He suddenly stopped and turned to Yuhan, the only one who hadn't spoken. "Hey, _you're_ good at dealing with these issues, aren't you? Do something about her!"

The cold, petrifying dread began to drift like ice throughout Riya's body. She wasn't sure she wanted to know what Yuhan was good at dealing with. The girl slowly covered her mouth with both hands as he stepped forward and knelt before Suyin. Was he going to _kill _her? The woman in the ground began to tremble as he turned his head slightly to address one of the agents. "Do you have anything shiny?" he asked plainly.

"Wait, _what?_" All of the agents seemed confused.

"_Do you have anything that shines? _Come on! We don't have any time, like you said." Yuhan sounded irritated, as if he'd dealt with this several times before…Riya could only continue to observe him fearfully.

The agent he'd addressed pulled out a gold tael bar from his pocket. It was fat, boat-shaped, and extremely reflective beneath the sun.

Yuhan took the currency into his stony hands, polishing it a little with his sleeve. He turned the bar around several times until the sun seemed to hit it at the perfect, blinding angle. He carefully held it in the same position as a tiny slab of earth cut itself from the ground, floating upward beneath his hands. Finally, he pressed the bottom of the gold piece into the newly made slab, securing it in place. Yuhan let go, and the shining bar remained floating before Suyin's petrified face.

The trapped woman immediately realized what he was doing when the gold piece began to circle back and forth between their faces. "No, please…" Suyin whimpered. "I w-want to go home…" Her voice was feeble and desperate as she looked pleadingly at the other agents. Riya stared through the hot tears beginning to form within her eyes, her hands shaking over her mouth.

"Listen to me…" Yuhan began, penetrating the woman with his chilling, expressionless gaze. Her eyes began to follow the gold piece unconsciously."Suyin does not exist. Joo Dee is your name. Joo Dee is what others shall address you as. Joo Dee is forever your title. Now, say it with me."

"Suyin…does not exist...Joo Dee…is my name…" The woman's expression slowly softened as her eyes glazed over and as her pupils became dilated.

The hazel-eyed girl resisted the urge to scream. That wasn't Yuhan. That _couldn't _be Yuhan. That voice – that _haunting _voice could not possibly belong to him! And yet…there was no mistaking that untidy hair, those emerald eyes, those lips…

The two spoke in frightening unison as they finished the speech. "There is no war in Ba Sing Se. There is no war within the walls. Here, we are safe. Here, we are free."

"Good, good…" His silken tone made Riya shudder behind her wall. "Let's go through it one last time, now."

All in all, the conversion had taken only four to five minutes, but the ordeal seemed to last for years to Riya, who could only continue to watch in tortured silence.

"Alright, I have one last request for you." Yuhan stood back up, pulling the brainwashed woman gently from the ground.

"Yes, sir?" she replied, trance-like.

"Joo Dee, the Earth King has invited you to Lake Laogai." The green-eyed agent turned around to join his fellow members.

"I am honored to accept his invitation." Joo Dee stretched her mouth into the widest, most disturbing grin Riya had ever seen.

"Go back to headquarters. Tell the first Dai Li agent you see to double check your conversion," Yuhan sighed. The other agents stared in astonishment as the smiling woman obediently bowed and headed cheerfully back to the carriage.

Riya finally tore her eyes away from the horrible sight, sinking down against the cracked wall with her head between her hands. She failed to control her ragged, uneven breaths. She didn't want to hear any more. She had to get out of here. She had to…

"Wow, so the rumors about you are true..." One of the agents whistled. "Makeshift conversion chambers! Who knew? You're really quite something, Yuhan." The trembling girl behind the wall covered her mouth again to prevent a miserable sob from escaping her lips.

"Whatever," Yuhan muttered, his eyes unreadable beneath his hat. "Problem solved. Off we go."

Riya painfully squeezed her eyelids shut, trying to erase the scarring images from her mind. Yuhan and the other agents finally disappeared into the Palace, and everything was silent once more. She staggered to her feet, leaning against the wall for support as the world spun around her.

The distraught girl circled erratically about the courtyard as she tried to process the impossible. Suyin became Joo Dee. One person BECAME another –_ Yuhan _turned one person into another. It was impossible, and it had happened in plain sight. How? _Why?_ Was she dreaming? No, the cold sweat dripping down her forehead felt too real. And Yuhan…_who was Yuhan?_ The traumatized young woman grabbed wildly at her hair with crazed hazel eyes. Home…she needed to go home. Away from here. Away from _him_. Riya fled the courtyard, paying no attention to the pin that slipped away from her disheveled hair, dropping quietly to the ground. A single sob shot through her lungs as she sprinted as fast as her legs could carry her.

O/O

Riya's neighbors saw her approaching in the distance, trailing clouds of dust behind her dragging feet. They cheered and beckoned their families to come welcome back their local heroine. Mr. Huang was the first to reach her. His smile quickly disappeared when he saw her face. It was clear that something had gone terribly wrong.

The girl's hazel eyes were dull, staring blankly at everything and nothing. Her hair was down on her shoulders again, tangled badly with several strands hanging loosely all over her face. Her skirt had been ripped and stained so severely that it no longer appeared white. Without looking up, she threw out an arm before Mr. Huang's face. Dangling from her limp fingers was Shen's packet of medicine.

The middle-aged man tried painfully to look into her eyes, but she only shook the packet more violently at him without saying a word. Mr. Huang finally took the medicine after another moment of hesitation. "Riya…thank you so much. I- I'll tell little Shen who saved him today. But first…" He placed a sympathetic hand on her shoulder.

Riya gave a horrible cry and shoved the man away, turning around and running with her face covered in her hands. Her neighbors watched in shock as the door of her house slammed shut behind her.

O/O

"Mother, Father, Mina, Liu…H-help me…"

Riya barely managed to bow before her alter as she tried to control her trembling. "I don't understand anything! I _saw_ but I don't understand! I just know that…that it's horrible! And _wrong! _What's happening? What am I supposed to do?" No one answered.

"_Please!_ I need you!" she cried to her wooden plaques. Other than Yuhan, there was no one left in her life that could comfort her. She was utterly lost and alone. The thought of Yuhan shot straight through her heart and caused tears to well up in her eyes, but she fiercely held them back.

The girl tried to steady herself on her knees, taking deep breaths and squeezing her eyes shut. _Calm down, _she tried to tell herself. But the haunting voices of her neighbors began to seep into her mind. All of their warnings and insults to the Dai Li, which she'd been able to ignore until now, began to fuel her growing doubt. _They brainwash anyone who talks about the war…_Riya covered her ears to try to drown out the voices, but they continued to echo endlessly through her aching head. _They kill anyone who they can't brainwash, but sometimes they just kill people because they don't like them. They can get away with it because they control the city, including the Earth King. Their power - Yuhan's power - comes from people like YOU.  
><em>

"S-stop it!" Riya shouted to no one, clutching her head between her hands even tighter. She turned desperately to the wooden plaques. "Please…help me find inner peace…help me…"

The girl suddenly froze solid when her gaze shifted to the plaques of her two foster parents. Her breathing ceased. Her eyes stopped blinking altogether. One final set of voices cut through her feeble mind.

_5 years ago, when I was 14, some Dai Li agents showed up one day and told me that my foster parents had passed away too. _

_What were your foster parents' names? I might know some details about what happened to them. _

_Their names are Liu and Mina. Does that sound familiar to you at all? _

_I don't think I've ever heard of them. Sorry that I can't do anything to help you._

"No…" Whatever was left of the girl's strength was crushed beneath her heaving sobs. She collapsed onto the hard, wooden floor, curling up into a fetal position as her body shook uncontrollably.

_They kill anyone who they can't brainwash._

Riya cried.


	11. Agent Greets Royalty

Sorry everyone! Updates have been pretty slow, and this is my last chapter to you before I avoid for finals studying (although my finals are over in two weeks :P) Like last time, I'll attempt to compensate you for the slowness with longer chapters :D This one's almost as long as the last haha. And everyone give a huge thanks to ABFG, who edited the beginning of this chapter again ^^

I'd also like to give a short shout out to my best friend, who's a natural romantic :P I too frequently feel more comfortable writing anguish scenes rather than happy romance scenes, which is not good LOL -.- So I consulted her for the mushy stuff in this chapter and she's enlightened me! Thanks bestie!

Lastly...In case you haven't noticed, this chapter title sounds almost identical to the last :P We get to see what Yuhan was up to while Riya was out exploring the Upper Ring. And GUESS WHO'S ALSO IN THIS CHAPTER? I think you know them ;) Ok, I'll stop ranting so you can read now. Hopefully I've served you well :)

* * *

><p>"<em>Toph Bei Fong, daughter of Poppy and Lao Bei Fong…Age: 12. City of Origin: Gaoling. Earthbending Style: Unknown. Earthbending Master: Unknown. Handicaps: Blindness. Probable Keys to Combat: Senses opponents and their movements based on vibrations in the ground. Feet are the hypothesized crucial factor during battle. Likely Weaknesses: Uneven or nonexistent terrains…air-based…atackles…feet…injurrruhh…<em>ugh_…_"

The thin parchment fluttered down over Yuhan's aching eyes as they slowly dimmed into unconsciousness. No longer was he lying on his dull mattress, deep beneath Lake Laogai. He was counting thousands of stars illuminating the night sky, feeling the feathery bed of grass beneath his back and the cool breeze rustling his hair…and the warmth of Riya by his side. She was nestled in his arm, sighing contently as she rested her head against him.

"They're so beautiful," Riya said breathlessly, gazing into the endless array of lights scattered throughout the sky.

Tonight, he wasn't the stuttering idiot who could never say anything right around her. "Those little dots? They can't even compare to what I'm seeing now." Yuhan's voice was clear and smooth as he looked down at her, smiling warmly.

Her hazel eyes softened as they met his, and he could see the reflection of the stunning sky shining within them. "Yuhan!" she laughed playfully, her cheeks growing pink. "Don't make me blush!"

"You're already blushing," he replied, smirking. He pulled Riya even closer to him, using the arm already wrapped around her shoulder. Reaching over with his other arm, Yuhan gently brushed a stray lock of brown hair away from her face, his hand trailing down the side of her smooth cheek. She slowly closed her eyes as his fingers slid beneath her chin, tilting her face upwards towards his own. As his eyelids grew heavy, he could feel the warmth of her soft lips before they even touched his, and they leaned closer and closer…

_BANG! "_Yuhan! Are you dead or what? Answer already! _What are you doing?_"

The tired agent's hand slapped over the parchment covering his face as he was wrenched back into reality. The paper crumpled beneath his fingers as he grumpily sat up and threw it aside. _And I was actually having a _nice _dream, for once! _Yuhan almost slipped when he angrily jumped down from his mattress, picking his hat off the floor and pulling it onto his head crookedly. He finally trudged over to his door, which was still shaking from the loud banging on the other side.

Tyru finally stopped hitting the door when it flew open, slamming noisily against the wall. He took quick note of Yuhan's lopsided hat, as well as his sluggish eyes. "Bloody realm of Koh! Were you _sleeping?_"

Yuhan rubbed at one of his eyes wearily, an ominous shadow looming over his face. "Well…not at first." He ignored the scowl he received in reply. "But hey, I had to stay back and convert Jet's two sidekicks while you were all chasing the Avatar. And since you took so long, I started studying those notes we were assigned over that blind earthbender girl." He suddenly noticed the growing puddle of water surrounding Tyru's feet. "…I'm guessing the chase didn't go well?"

"_No kidding!_" Tyru snapped, sending another flurry of droplets to the floor as he crossed his arms. "That stupid flying bull thing flung us all into the lake! And now Long Feng has a giant bite mark on his leg!"

"Oh. I'm sorry to hear that." Yuhan clumsily straightened up his hat. "So…why exactly did you come here again?" His baggy eyes longed to rest again, and the sweet memory of the dream still lingered as he spoke.

Tyru sighed so loudly that it sounded more like an irritated groan. "Just how long does it take you to get back to your senses after you wake up? Obviously, we couldn't catch the Avatar. Obviously, that means the Avatar is now running loose with his precious flying cow. So _obviously, _the Avatar's probably headed to the Royal Palace as we speak, and OBVIOUSLY, our entire headquarters is about to be exposed to the Earth King!" The ground beneath the two agents began to crackle slightly as Tyru finished his raging explanation.

Yuhan glanced indifferently at the ground and then back at Tyru, who was still glaring daggers at him. "Why didn't you just tell me that Long Feng wants us to hide the evidence?" he asked casually.

The fuming agent paused for a moment, frowning. "Well…!" His voice quickly rose in volume again. "I thought you might need a clearer explanation, considering how you look half-dead at the moment!"

Yuhan sighed. He supposed Tyru was still bitter about losing to the Avatar and being thrown into Lake Laogai by a giant 'cow.' "Alright, if you say so." He shrugged slightly. "Anyway, what exactly are we supposed to do right now?"

"A lot of things," Tyru muttered. "Long Feng predicts that this facility will no longer be safe for us to operate undercover, so we have to seal off...everything…"

"_Everything? _What do you mean?"

"Since the Avatar's probably going to try blabbing everything to the Earth King – that includes the Conspiracy Resistance and conversions – we have to get rid of anything that could validate his claims. Long Feng's orders are to seal off every conversion chamber and prison cell in headquarters. And then we have to destroy the entrance. It's the most we can do in case the Earth King's guards try to find their way down here." The soaking agent shook out one of his sleeves, causing some slimy bits of algae to splatter onto Yuhan.

"If we seal off the prison cells, wouldn't the prisoners...die?" Yuhan tried his best to contain his irritation as he began picking off the algae from his robe. In addition, he had to make sure that Tyru couldn't sense his concern for the prisoners. If he found out that Yuhan had been purposely failing Mina and Liu's conversions each month…well, it was better that he never found out.

"Of course they would!" Tyru replied crossly. "That's why Long Feng's making us relocate them. _All_ of them! Honestly they'd be better off dead right now, but he figures we'd get into serious trouble if their bodies were discovered."

"I see. Then where are we supposed to move them?"

"That's what I'm here to tell you, obviously! We have to move fast. There's no guarantee that the Palace defenses can hold off the Avatar, and investigators could come down here any minute. You'd better be alert for this. Let's go!"

Yuhan sighed again as Tyru strode away. He grudgingly left his room behind, following his fellow agent down the green-lit hallway. He wanted to go back to sleep…

O/O

One side of the Dai Li headquarters was in chaos – silent chaos. Not a word was spoken. Only the sound of rapid footsteps and the steady rumbling of chambers being demolished echoed throughout the dark facility. In the silence, the dark shapes of agents could be seen flitting in and out of the rooms, gliding quickly across the floor and dragging with them crates of conversion chamber lanterns.

The other side of headquarters was filled with commotion and rang with the sound of utter madness. Almost all of the prisoners fought bravely against their captors as they were dragged in chains from their cells, despite the agents' numerous attempts to beat them back down. Several were carried away unconscious. It was at this scene that Yuhan and Tyru finally arrived.

Tyru immediately dashed away towards unopened cells while Yuhan strained to see through the crowd, his eyes sharp. He began pushing his way through the mess of agents and prisoners, focusing only on finding two particular individuals. The agent was almost hit several times by the fired gloves of his fellow members as the prisoners continued to rebel.

He found them trailing several feet behind the crowd, being led by a single and timid agent. They were making no attempts to fight back, however. Yuhan felt the guilt dropping like a pile of bricks upon his chest as he drew closer. Riya's stepmother was barely conscious, stumbling across the ground as her husband struggled to support her arm around his shoulder. Fortunately, the agent leading them was a new recruit who hadn't quite adopted the cruel methods of the Dai Li yet. In fact, Yuhan recognized him. "Tao!" he shouted, running over to the little group. "Do you need any help?"

Tao looked relieved to see the older agent. During his training days, he'd actually been ordered to observe Yuhan to improve his Earthbending, and the two had gotten to know each other comfortably. "Yeah. I'm kind of stuck," he replied sheepishly, looking anxiously at his prisoners. "I don't want to force them to go any faster, but I'm going to get in trouble if I don't get them to their new cells soon!" He fearfully took note of the Dai Li agents eyeing him threateningly from the crowd ahead.

Though he knew that he had to protect Mina and Liu, Yuhan was terrified of being in their presence again. The combined guilt and pressure was overwhelming now that he was this close. _But I have no other choice. _Yuhan's hat was pulled unusually low as he faced Tao, and his voice came out odd."Here…you help him." He motioned towards Liu, making sure not to meet his gaze. "And I'll take the woman. If we carry them, no one gets punished for being slow, and we can move onto other prisoners in no time. Come on!"

Tao nodded quickly and proceeded to hoist Riya's stepfather over his shoulder. Though Liu was too weak protest, he still eyed the agents spitefully as they pulled Mina away from him. He watched suspiciously as Yuhan slid her bony frame carefully over his shoulder, not yet recognizing him.

The two agents both leaned forward on one foot in a distinct and synchronized motion. They immediately sailed across the smooth stone floor, with the damp air whizzing across the dull faces of their prisoners. A few moments later they found themselves near the front of the crowd, following the massive line into the tunnel leading to the new headquarters. The temporary facility was an old, abandoned tomb deep beneath one of Lake Laogai's surrounding mountains, and several agents had already customized its chambers to hold captives.

_So far, so good. They're safe…and I'm safe…_Yuhan's anxiety began to lessen as he and Tao continued their steady journey through the dark tunnel. He made sure never to glance towards the small body resting upon his shoulder, though she seemed too ill to even notice. Perhaps he could do something about that illness…he was returning to the city tonight, after all. Yuhan began to ponder ways to sneak medicine into headquarters as the entrance of the newly constructed prisoner cells slowly became visible in the distance.

The two agents were only a few paces away from the new cells when Yuhan suddenly felt Mina's scrawny fingers clench down on his wrist. Her fingernails dug so painfully that he thought he felt his skin tear apart. "_Where did you get this?_" Her voice was astonishingly strong. Strong, and absolutely terrifying. The hostility in her tone immediately caught Liu's attention, who jerked his head up to look.

"W-what?" Yuhan slowly met her gaze, feeling like a small and frightened child as her jade green eyes glared furiously into his own.

"_This!_" She grabbed again, suddenly pulling hard on a thick band of leather strips around his wrist, almost cutting off his circulation. The gleam of the three shining disks woven between them filled her eyes with an indescribable horror. Liu seemed fall lifeless against Tao's shoulder as soon as he recognized it too.

Yuhan was unable to answer, and he tried instead to place the woman on the ground, pulling her away from him.

"Whom did you take this from? _What have you done to her? _You will answer me RIGHT THIS MOMENT!" Mina's piercing voice cracked as she clenched both the bracelet and the agent's wrist even tighter. Unable to support herself on the ground however, she almost dragged him down with her.

Tao immediately rushed over to help, setting Liu down against the wall. The prisoner simply slumped to the ground with his head lolling to the side, his eyes staring vacantly in disbelief. Both of the agents struggled to loosen Mina's grip around Riya's bracelet before finally wrenching her away from it. She began to wail and kick wildly as Yuhan slowly backed away and while Tao dragged her forcefully towards Liu, locking her hands between his rock gloves.

"S-silence yourself, peasant!" Tao huffed as he continued to encase more stone restraints around the struggling woman's limbs, pinning her to the ground. He turned alarmingly to Yuhan. "What's wrong with her, and why's she going mad over your bracelet?" he yelled over Mina's screaming.

Yuhan only continued to back further away, his head feeling faint. He wanted so badly to tell Mina that the bracelet wasn't taken. It was _given_ – but the fact that he was facing her like this, preparing to lock her into a new and diseased prison cell for eternity…It was just wrong, all wrong. He had to get out of here.

His wish was granted almost as if by some miracle. As he continued, dumbfounded, to watch Riya's stepparents as they leaned against each other on the wall and sobbed wretchedly, a messenger suddenly rushed into the scene. Yuhan and Tao were surprised to see him unroll a large and colorful scroll, wielding the seal of the Earth King. Letters from the Palace were rarely delivered to Dai Li agents, much less during chaotic times like this.

The messenger glanced for a moment at the weeping couple on the ground before clearing his throat loudly. "Are one of you agents named Yuhan Tsen?"

The green-eyed agent sighed. "Yeah…that's me…" He glumly observed Riya's stepparents engraving that name into their minds with all the hate they could muster.

"The Earth King has acknowledged the potential threat approaching his palace and requests Long Feng's reinforcements. Your leader has selected five Dai Li agents to report to the throne immediately, and you have been summoned. You are to leave at once. A carriage is waiting outside." The messenger briskly rolled the scroll back up, tucking it into his belt and running off to seek the other chosen agents.

Tao stared at Yuhan with admiration. "Wow…I guess you'd better go then. I can take care of the prisoners from here. Thanks!" He began to head over the Riya's stepparents, who were glaring at Yuhan with red eyes, taking in every detail of his face.

"Yeah…anytime…" Yuhan slowly turned away from the prisoners, his head hanging low as he began to drag himself back towards the headquarters exit.

One last voice shot through the air before Yuhan disappeared from sight. "_You'll pay for what you did to her._" It was Mina, pointing after him with murderous intent.

'_You'll pay for what you did'…Why am I not surprised that it sounds so familiar? _The tired agent almost laughed bitterly as he began climbing up the ladder that led to the city above the lake.

O/O

There was one other agent already sitting in the carriage when Yuhan emerged from Lake Laogai. He looked well into his 50s, and his braided hair was a dull grey. He simply sat with his arms crossed, his head bent low. The man shifted slightly at the noise of Yuhan's footsteps, lifting his face just enough to see beneath the brim of his hat. His sharp green eyes squinted a little. "Ah, a youngster…"

Yuhan climbed awkwardly into the carriage, plopping himself onto the cushioned seat across from the older agent. What was he supposed to reply to something like that? "Hi…my name's Yuhan."

"Guiren." The older agent gave the slightest nod in reply, but suddenly stopped. "Hold up…you wouldn't happen to be the brainwashing kid, would you?" He examined Yuhan closely now, his eyes filled with a new curiosity.

"I don't know what you mean by that," Yuhan replied stiffly. "Every agent in this organization brainwashes…sir." He made sure to keep a courteous tone in case this agent happened to originate from the Upper Ring. Still, he found it difficult not to be annoyed at his ever-growing reputation. Who wanted to be known for destroying peoples' minds?

"Well, I can see that the rumors of your modesty are also true," Guiren chuckled, his head dropping back down, "which is a rare thing to find in your generation these days. You could teach those pompous kids a thing or two."

"Oh. Thanks?" There was no reply. "So…what do _you_ do down at headquarters?"

Guiren remained so still that Yuhan began to wonder if he'd fallen asleep. The reply seemed to originate from thin air. "Eh, I take care of all the disloyal agents. You know, branding their families and throwing them out of the city and such. Tedious job, really. You'd think they'd have enough sense not to cross Long Feng these days."

"Yeah. Tell me about it…" The younger agent unconsciously shifted further away in his seat.

The third chosen agent suddenly hopped into the carriage. He was another 'youngster' by the name of Quan, with jet-black hair and narrow brown eyes. The lanky boy slumped down next to Yuhan, casually resting his feet onto the seats across from them. Guiren frowned and scooted away from the stone boots. Yuhan could already tell that the two weren't going to get along.

Quan, too, had important responsibilities at headquarters. He was the chief trainer of Joo Dees – and apparently had a 'dazzling smile' that they all modeled their grin after. He knew Ba Sing Se inside and out, and he would travel through the city with each new group of Joo Dees for weeks until they did too. Quan shaped their personalities into the perfect, ever-smiling tour guides that Lower Ring citizens had come to loathe. As for hollowing out their minds and renaming them all to Joo Dee…That step was taken care of by people like Yuhan. He himself usually didn't work with the tour guides, however, being assigned instead to convert the most stubborn and difficult rebels.

Since Quan was so heavily involved in public communications, Guiren considered him nothing more than an "insignificant poster boy" for the organization. He didn't hesitate to voice his opinion, either. The two agents were bickering and threatening each other in no time.

Yuhan was left sitting off to the side, sighing as he gazed into the cloudy sky through the window. What was Riya doing now? _Missing her foster parents._ He groaned and threw his head back against his seat. Quan and Guiren assumed that he'd been irritated by their arguing, but they continued anyway.

He _had _to confront the foster parents ordeal. After what happened earlier, Yuhan knew that he couldn't avoid it much longer. _Alright, what to do about Mina and Liu? I can go buy some medicine tonight, and then I could…_his thoughts trailed away into nothing. There really was nothing he could do for them. He was basically just keeping them alive in prison. Riya could never have them back. And even if they returned, they'd have been converted anyway (and have no memory of her). If they were somehow freed without being converted, that would require disloyalty. And as much as it tortured him to see Riya grieving, Yuhan could never bring himself to be disloyal. He was a true Dai Li agent.

…Or was he? He'd deliberately failed Mina and Liu's conversions each month. A truly committed agent wouldn't have hesitated to erase their minds. Yuhan's hand slid over his face. How had it come to this? He couldn't be a good Dai Li agent because of Riya, and he couldn't be a good lover because of the Dai Li. He could only continue to let the two imperfections grow and collide with one another. He was never strong enough to make the choice.

_Then I guess now's the time to start. _Yuhan began to do what he absolutely dreaded: determining whether Riya or the Dai Li had greater value to him. The two had grown to become such defining factors of his life that it felt like he'd lose a part of his soul if one ever triumphed over the other. Just as he began to force the comparison, however, the remaining chosen agents found their way to the carriage. They clambered noisily into the seats, forcing Yuhan to cut off his thoughts as he made room for them. Quan and Guiren's argument was interrupted as well, and they glowered silently at each other while the two new agents introduced themselves.

Peng, an 'old-timer' like Guiren, was the custody specialist of the Dai Li; he continually improved the designs of their handcuffs, inventing new and lighter varieties of chains to hide within their sleeves. He was also responsible for designing prisoner restraints and tools for interrogation. His wrinkled grey eyes looked weary from scrutinizing endless worksheets and revisions.

Jinhai, on the other hand, _was _the interrogator of prisoners. Aside from using physical means, this 'youngster' had an expertise for tormenting rebels through the conversion chamber. Unlike Yuhan however, he didn't alter his victims' memories; during interrogation, memories became their agony. This agent could force them to relive their darkest hours, and it was too often related to the Fire Nation. Most rebels broke down after having to witness their loved ones being burned alive all over again. Jinhai's eyes had grown cold and emotionless from constantly watching such scenes, and they were so dark that they appeared more black than green. Even the black of his hair seemed to resemble the darkness of a bottomless well.

As it turned out, the five agents represented the entire organization. They were all chosen as the heads of their branches. And though they were unaware, their earthbending exceeded the majority of agents as well. Long Feng had chosen a worthy group to protect the Earth King. Now that they were all finally together, the carriage shot forward, carrying them full speed towards the Royal Palace.

O/O

The lengthy trip to the Palace was relatively silent. Quan and Guiren occasionally exchanged snide remarks, but none of the agents really cared to converse. Peng had begun to scribble something onto a sketchpad while Jinhai dozed off. Yuhan would have fallen asleep as well, had he not been pondering Riya's stepparents again.

The tired agent pulled back his right sleeve a little. His bracelet was still twisted up from being yanked at earlier, and the leather cords were all tangled about. He slowly straightened them back out, his fingers trailing along the polished disks. His expression softened as he traced along the symbolic emerald on the left. _"The one on the left is supposed to be the nation of the bracelet's giver – my nation. And when you give it away, you weave in the stone on the right representing the nation of a person who's really special to you." _Her tender voice was still fresh in his memory. He could even remember exactly how she looked like as she spoke those words. The rich brown color of her hair was slightly blackened where he'd stroked it with his sooty fingers. Her cheeks had been glowing bright pink, her eyes sparkling. Her entire face was lit up with eagerness in anticipation of his reaction. She'd been radiating with such happiness, innocence, and…love. Yes, love.

That only made things worse. How could he possibly betray Riya like this, after seeing those eyes? Whenever she looked at him, the warmth of her smile seemed to breathe new life into his sleep-deprived body. It would strengthen him for days after he left, even within the cold and dark chambers of headquarters. One meaningless conversation with Riya made him smile more than he had during all seven years in the Dai Li. Around her, Yuhan didn't feel so much like…a clone. That was the word for it. Dai Li agents were trained by Long Feng to look, earthbend, and even _talk_ alike in public. It ensured their effectiveness as a team as well as a professional image, but they lost their individuality in the process. In Riya's eyes, though, Yuhan was nothing like the other agents. He was fascinating. He was irreplaceable. He was the world. One look at those hazel eyes told him all of these things. And though he was terrible at expressing it…he felt the same for her.

As for the Dai Li? Well, the organization paid him more than the highest government officials in the Upper Ring. His family was even treated like royalty. He was well respected and praised by his fellow agents as well as Long Feng. He'd made a lifelong friend. Aside from his sleep deprivation, life in the organization treated Yuhan pretty well. He also owed his leader for lifting his parents from poverty and ensuring their safety in the Upper Ring. Most importantly, though, his duties were essential to the city's well being. Ba Sing Se would probably lead a foolish and suicidal attack on the Fire Nation without all those conversions – and everyone would suffer. He had a solemn obligation to the city. Yuhan couldn't possibly allow his feelings for Riya to interfere…could he?

Even after all that brainstorming, Yuhan still couldn't make the choice. He grumpily crossed his arms, finally allowing his eyes to rest. _Forget it! _He decided just to continue making Riya as happy as possible…without being disloyal to the Dai Li. Nothing bad had come out of it so far, anyway. The most important thing for him now was to cherish his time with Riya tonight. It was going to be a new moon, if he recalled correctly. The stars would be shining brightly. Maybe his dream from earlier didn't have to be a dream. There were plenty of lush hills around the agrarian zone of the city. He could take her to one of them, and…

"We're arrived!" The carriage driver yelled from outside.

Yuhan's eyes snapped open as the carriage rumbled to a stop. The other agents began shifting about and peering out the windows. They all seemed taken aback by what they saw. Confused, Yuhan strained his neck to look. His jaw dropped.

The Palace courtyard was unrecognizable. The ground beneath the marble was uprooted everywhere in all kinds of forms. It looked like an army of Earthbenders had trampled through the place.

The agents had arrived too late.

O/O

"A-and, kids! Palace invaded! Everything's destroyed! Ruined! Stairs flattened, all troops in the infirmary…terrible, it was just terrible! The Avatar! Going to overthrow King Kuei - Long Feng said so himself! Failed to defend…"

A Royal Guard had come running to the agents atop an ostrich horse upon their arrival. Yuhan was the only one patient enough to listen to his babbling. He nodded warily, trying to comprehend the situation. "I'm still trying to understand what you're saying. _Calm down!_ So basically, the Avatar and three kids wrecked this whole place…and _all _of your guards were taken out?" Was the Avatar really that powerful?

"Yes, that's what I've been saying!" the Guard replied, as if he'd made himself obvious.

"No it wasn't!" And Yuhan thought _he _was inarticulate. "All I heard was 'Ruin! Avatar! Palace! Kids!'" The other agents, particularly Guiren, began to eye him impatiently. "You know what, forget it…We're late already, and Long Feng's probably getting angry. Round up the remainder of your troops. Make sure no one else enters the Palace."

The agents were all relieved to see the Guard finally leave, and they quickly approached the steps of the Palace – or what was left of the steps. Someone had earthbent them flat. Yuhan had a nasty feeling that Toph Bei Fong was somehow related to this. If they were going to have to deal with her at the throne…they were pretty much doomed.

The high-pitched scream of a woman suddenly echoed throughout the courtyard when the agents had climbed halfway up the steps. It was accompanied by agitated shouting. "STOP HER! She's gone crazy! You're the ones who control her – _do something!_"

Yuhan and the other agents glanced at each other for a moment before sliding themselves back towards the ground. Guiren was the first to identify the screaming. "Why are we being stopped for a _Joo Dee?_" he muttered. "That driver should know the cue to shut her up."

"I think he might've tried that already…" Yuhan pointed out as the figure in yellow continued to run further and further. He looked around at the other agents, who were all standing indifferently as they observed the scene. _You've got to be kidding me._ They were all waiting for someone to make the first move. Sighing, he pinpointed the exact location of his target. He shot his arm forward, trying to focus on the patch of earth beneath Joo Dee. It worked, and the ground immediately loosened apart until her feet broke through the surface. Yuhan quickly clenched his fist again, hardening the earth before she sank in completely.

Joo Dee's carriage driver looked at the agents nervously as they approached the struggling woman. He knew that Dai Li agents hated being interrupted. The vile expression on Guiren's face only strengthened the fact. "Did it occur to you that we're running late?" he asked, examining one of his gloves dangerously.

"LET ME GO!" Joo Dee cut in. Yuhan glanced down at her face as she tried to pull herself free. She was ghastly pale with disease, and her short brown hair was tangled about the lopsided ornament atop her head. He could already tell that her conversion had completely worn off as soon as he met her defiant black eyes. If anything, her sickness probably induced it. Yuhan couldn't help but feel a slight twinge of pity. It was a shame…this woman would have been beautiful if she weren't so ill.

Guiren had been interrupted yet again. If looks could kill… "This is a waste of our time," he scowled, looking ready to bury the woman into the ground. "Joo Dee, the Earth King has invited you to Lake Laogai."

"_That's not my name! _It's Suyin!"

Yuhan would have said to Guiren "I told you so" if the older agent hadn't looked so homicidal.

"Dear Spirits, she's so loud…" Jinhai sighed, rubbing his temple. "The whole city's going to hear her at this rate. Someone needs to redo her conversion before she goes blabber mouthing."

All of the agents cringed a little at Jinhai's blatant words. The whole city was going to hear _him_ at this rate. Conversions were not to be mentioned in public areas – especially not the Palace. Then again, the whole courtyard was pretty much abandoned because of the Avatar's violent invasion. But still…Yuhan began to glance around to make sure no one was in sight.

His attention was diverted when Quan spoke up. "But we have no time to take her to headquarters! Maybe if someone volunteers…"

"Whoever doesn't show up is going to be killed by Long Feng!" interrupted Peng. Sadly, he was correct. They were all going to get punished already for being tardy, and to be absent was a death wish. Peng suddenly seemed to remember something, turning sharply to Yuhan. "Hey, _you're_ good at dealing with these issues, aren't you? Do something about her!"

All of the agents turned towards Yuhan, as if he could magically fix everything. For a brief moment, he tried to think of any other solution to the problem, but he found nothing. He dully looked around at his fellow agents, who were still watching him expectantly. _Brilliant._ This day was becoming a pain. Yuhan suddenly agreed with Guiren; Quan was completely useless, being the trainer of Joo Dees without even knowing how to control them. He cursed under his breath, stepping forward towards the woman in the ground.

Yuhan knelt down before her. Suyin stared back, her eyes filled with terror. The nagging guilt pulled even harder on his chest. This was exactly why he hated working with Joo Dees. He looked away from her pitiful face, glaring at Quan. "Do you have anything shiny?" _Might as well get it over with…_

Quan raised an eyebrow while the other agents looked at each other in confusion. "Wait, _what?_" he asked stupidly.

"_Do you have anything that shines?_" Yuhan repeated irritably. "Come on! We don't have any time, like you said." They were never going to get out of here at this rate.

The Joo Dee trainer fumbled with his pockets for a moment as Yuhan waited impatiently. He finally pulled out a gold tael bar and clumsily handed it over. The blinding glare of the currency immediately hit Yuhan's eyes, causing him to blink a few times. This would definitely work.

All of the other agents watched curiously as the "brainwashing kid" carefully examined the gold bar. He turned it over again and again until the glare shot directly into Suyin's eyes. Yuhan watched her cringe and try to look away. Judging from how tightly her pupils were constricted, the glare of the gold bar almost matched the brightness of a conversion chamber lantern. He could safely assume that this procedure would go smoothly.

Holding the bar firmly in place, Yuhan stretched one of his index fingers slightly towards the ground below, tracing it through the air. A cut began to form within the earth, following the motion of his finger until a rough circle had been sliced into the stone. With a gentle flick, the small disk freed itself from the ground, floating up beneath the gold piece.

'_Here comes the best part,' _Yuhan thought glumly, pressing the currency into the slab of earth. He began to guide the disk in a smooth, circular motion across Suyin's eyes. The horrifying realization dawned over her face at once. "No, please…I w-want to go home…"

Her woeful voice seemed to scorch right through his chest. Today really was a pain. Yuhan stared hard into the poor woman's eyes, unblinking. _Remember your duty. Remember why you have to do this. _"Listen to me…" The sound of his voice disrupted Suyin's concentration, and her eyes became glued to the floating gold piece. "Suyin does not exist. Joo Dee is your name. Joo Dee is what others shall address you as. Joo Dee is forever your title. Now, say it with me." _Remember your duty. _

The transformation had begun. He could hear her breathing relax. He could _feel_ her mind slipping away. "Suyin…does not exist…" she repeated unconsciously.

_Remember your duty. _

"Joo Dee…is my name…"

_Remember your duty…_

It was over before long. Joo Dee enthusiastically headed back towards her carriage, grinning widely. The gold bar lay still on the ground. Yuhan stared down at it. He could hear the other agents murmuring amongst themselves. He didn't care to listen.

"Wow, so the rumors about you are true…" The sharp sound of Guiren's whistle caused Yuhan to look up a little. "Makeshift conversion chambers! Who knew? You're really quite something, Yuhan."

_Imagine that._ "Whatever…" The tired agent kept his face low, his eyes flashing dangerously. He was going to rip Guiren's throat out if he heard another word about his reputation. "Problem solved. Off we go."

Yuhan marched back towards the Palace steps, and the other agents hurriedly followed. He really hated working with Joo Dees…

O/O

The enemies were still fighting inside the Palace. The agents could feel the violent rumbling from the distance as they glided swiftly through the hallways. Yuhan tried to his best to remember the way. Each hallway looked almost identical, lined with magnificent doors and huge pillars. He began to feel a little dazed from all the gold and green zipping past his eyes.

They came to an abrupt stop at a large clearing between the passageways. The area was surrounded by a mass of towering pillars that stretched all the way to the roof – pillars that weren't supposed to be there.

"H-help…"

All of the agents snapped their heads up in the direction of the voice. Yuhan took one look at the ceiling and felt the color drain from his face. "Holy Spirits…"

Pinned to the ceiling by each and every pillar was a Royal Guard. Their arms and legs were dangling out from the sides. Yuhan wondered for a moment why they hadn't tried to Earthbend their way down, but he quickly realized the severity of their injuries. They'd all been half-crushed.

"Help…" the Guard wheezed again. "Help…the Earth King…Go…"

"Was the Avatar responsible for this?" Guiren demanded.

"Yes…" the Guard replied weakly. The agents could barely hear him from where they were. "But you must leave. Take the back passage…or they'll reach the throne first. Go…now!" His devotion was truly admirable.

Yuhan and the other agents slid forward on their stone shoes once more. He took a last, painful glance over his shoulder as the suffering Royal Guards disappeared from sight. Hopefully someone could come help them soon…

They reached what appeared to be a dead end. Peng stepped forward, facing the wall. He thrust his arm forward, pressing his palm against a special brick hidden behind a lantern. The brick immediately sank into the wall, which rumbled loudly and collapsed straight into the ground. After all of the agents had stepped through the secret entrance, Peng pressed a second brick from within the passage, and the wall shot back up.

The group darted as quickly as possible through the narrow tunnel. It was almost pitch-black, aside from a couple of glowing green crystals growing from occasional spots in the ground. The rumbling in the distance grew louder and louder. They were getting close – and so were their enemies.

"Can we make it?" Quan panted, who was beginning to lose his breath.

"We _have _to!" Yuhan heaved back. "The Avatar can't be allowed to contact the Earth King! Our entire organization is on the line!"

"_Indeed it is!_" The sudden and intimidating voice sent a chill down all of their spines. "WHERE have you fools been?"

Long Feng was standing at the end of the tunnel. It was so dark that Yuhan barely saw him in time, and his feet skidded against the ground to a screeching halt. Stumbling to regain his balance, he met the wrathful gaze of his leader. "S-sir!" he gasped. "We're very sorry! We -"

A deafening bang from outside the exit shook the entire tunnel before he could finish apologizing. Several bits of rock fell down from the ceiling, bouncing off of his hat.

For the first time in his life, Yuhan thought that his leader looked panicked. "They've broken down the Grand Entrance!" cried the middle-aged man. "Don't just stand there – go! _Move!_"

The agents hastily formed a line behind Long Feng as he turned around and slammed open the entrance to the throne room. The brilliant light immediately flooded Yuhan's eyes, blinding him for a moment. He rubbed at one of them while sprinting after Long Feng towards the center of all Earth Kingdom authority.

Before he knew it, Yuhan found himself standing in front of the throne with his fellow agents, facing away from the Earth King. They were all positioned into identical battle stances, rigidly holding their palms forward and ready to fire their gloves. They had actually managed to beat the Avatar to King Kuei…well, sort of.

Their enemies were standing several feet in front of them, firmly holding their own battle stances. Yuhan suddenly realized that one of them was pointing a long staff right at his face. _Oh_…he was standing directly across from the Avatar, wasn't he?

"_We need to talk to you_," demanded the child. His voice had an intensity and determination that didn't seem to reflect his young age at all. At the very least, Yuhan had to give him credit for being oddly mature.

"They're here to _overthrow _you!" Long Feng countered from behind. Yuhan could see the shadow of his leader's arm on the ground as he motioned towards the children.

"No, we're here to help! We're on your side!" shouted the Water Tribe boy. He held a weird machete...thing, and had an even weirder hairdo. It was completely shaven except for at the very top of his head, where it was tied back in a stubby brown ponytail.

"You have to trust us!" added the girl standing next to Ponytail Guy. She looked strangely similar to him, and they shared the same mocha-colored skin. Her eyes were also the same brilliant blue, though softer, and two loops of brown hair hung down the sides of her face. Flowing from a pouch at the side her waist was a long stream of water, which seemed to mimic the position of her arm.

Though he'd seen them all already, the children still seemed a little unfamiliar to Yuhan, now that he could look at them closely. Furthest from him was…Toph Bei Fong. Brilliant. So she _was_ here. Standing across from her was Quan, who was almost shaking in his boots at the sight of the boulder hovering threateningly before her arms.

The Earth King himself finally spoke up. Yuhan heard him rise from his throne. "You invade my palace, lay waste to all my guards, _break down my fancy door_…and you expect me to _trust_ you?"

Yuhan resisted the urge to slap his forehead. Leave it to King Kuei to complain about his door. The agent really had nothing against the young ruler, but it was during these moments that he was glad Long Feng ran the city. The Earth King always paid attention to the most random and insignificant things…only the Spirits knew what would happen if he took control of Ba Sing Se.

"He has a good point," piped in the blind Earthbender. Yuhan silently prayed that she wouldn't do anything with that boulder.

"If you are on my side," King Kuei continued angrily, "then drop your weapons and _stand down._"

There was a heavy moment of silence as the group of children looked hesitatingly at one another. To everyone's relief, they finally withdrew their arms.

"See?" the Avatar said cheerfully, lifting his hands. "We're friends, your Earthiness! Heheh…"

_What in the world…?_ Where did all the fervor and ferocity from earlier go? The sleep-deprived agent stared confusedly at the young Avatar. The boy had a pure laugh and an innocence in his big, grey eyes that strangely reminded him of Riya.

Long Feng immediately seized the opportunity to strike, raising his arm. The agents recognized the cue at once and threw their palms forward. The stone gloves soared across the room, grabbing onto the wrists of the enemies and locking them together.

"Detain the assailants!" the Dai Li leader commanded. Yuhan and the other agents leaned onto their rock shoes for the hundredth time that day, sailing across the floor towards the children. They came to a perfect stop in a straight row behind the group. Yuhan ended up behind the Avatar. The boy's head barely reached his shoulder. It was hard to believe that such a small child was the master of all four elements.

"But we dropped our weapons!" the Water Tribe boy yelled indignantly. "We're your allies!"

"Make sure the Avatar and his friends never see daylight again," Long Feng said dismissively, ignoring the complaint.

"The Avatar? _You're_ the Avatar?" The Earth King pointed surprisingly at Ponytail Guy.

"Uh, no. _Him._" The Water Tribe boy looked over at the child in front of Yuhan.

"Over here!" The Avatar smiled and lifted his hands again. Wait, _lifted his hands? _Spirits, he'd undone the rock gloves without Yuhan even noticing. The agent quickly moved the pieces back into place around the child's wrists. The Avatar certainly knew how to bend multiple elements, that was for sure…Yuhan had never seen someone break apart his gloves _that_ easily.

"What does it matter, your Highness?" Long Feng retorted. "They're enemies of the state."

"Perhaps you're right…" King Kuei sighed, looking down. So the situation wasn't as bad as Yuhan predicted. It seemed like Long Feng had things under control now.

The Earth King's pet bear, which had been sleeping next to the throne this whole time, suddenly stood up and walked directly towards Yuhan, who dully observed its appearance. Who in their right mind would dress up their pets in yellow tunics and fancy hats? _Well, that's King Kuei for you. _The bear plopped down next to the Avatar, giving a small grumble of affection. The child laughed as the large creature licked his face. Yuhan continued to stand awkwardly behind the two.

"Though Bosco seems to like him!" King Kuei added brightly. "I'll hear what he has to say."

_You can't be serious…_After everything Yuhan had gone through today, all of his suffering was about to go to waste because of a fat, stupid _bear? _Long Feng seemed to be thinking the same thing, judging from his murderous expression.

The young Avatar stepped forward before the Earth King. "Well, sir," he began, "there's a war going on right now. For the past one hundred years, in fact. The Dai Li's kept it secret from you…"

Oh, they were doomed. Yuhan already knew. Considering the King's stupidity, the Avatar's influence, Long Feng's bison bite mark, and _Bosco_…they were so, so doomed.

O/O

The five agents grimly made their way back down the flattened steps of the courtyard. So they weren't _completely_ doomed…but they were pretty close to it. King Kuei hadn't really believed the story about the war conspiracy, which was good. However, he was out investigating in the city with the Avatar and his friends – _without _Long Feng. Who knew what kind of evidence they could dig up? At the very least, though, the old Dai Li headquarters had been sealed up. The agents could only hope that the Earth King would trust his advisor in the end.

Long Feng had left the agents to themselves, angrily ordering them to meet him at the new headquarters to devise a plan. The carriage that had driven them here was already waiting at the end of the courtyard.

Yuhan let out a disappointed sigh. He had been looking forward to returning to the city tonight - returning to Riya. And now he was stuck spending the rest of the day with the Dai Li, trying to deal with an incompetent Earth King. Today was truly a pain.

"_Yuhan! _Buddy!"

The sleep-deprived agent looked bewilderedly at the carriage. Sitting inside was… "_Hiroshu? _What in the name of all Spirits are you _doing _here?"

"Glad to see you too, kid!" Hiroshu replied cheerily, scooting over to make room for the agents. They all looked confusedly between the two friends. "Well, you know how my rib's kind of broken, right?"

"Yeah, and…?" Yuhan eyed his partner suspiciously.

"Uh, I might've done a _little_ bit of Earthbending a while ago, which kind of made the rib get dislocated again, and…well, the doctors came and said it'd puncture my lung and kill me if I tried to walk back to headquarters. So I get to catch a ride with you now!" He smiled sheepishly.

Yuhan slapped a hand over his own face, peering at Hiroshu through the gaps between his fingers. "Just _how _did you manage to dislocate your rib again? Did another blind girl decide to kick it or something?"

Hiroshu ignored the snide comment, his face puzzled. "You mean you didn't run into her?" he asked incredulously.

"Run into who?"

"_Riya! _Your girlfriend! You didn't see her?" Hiroshu was evidently shocked.

Yuhan felt his heart skip a beat. "_She was here? _When? WHERE?"

The other agents continued to watch the two awkwardly as they climbed into the carriage. Guiren shook his head a little. "Youngsters…"

Riya's childhood sweetheart remained standing outside the carriage, looking anxiously about the courtyard as if he'd actually see her there. "H-how didn't I know about this?" he asked no one in particular.

"Beats me!" Hiroshu shrugged. "I thought you'd come across her on your way to the Palace. I didn't send her _that _far from the courtyard…_Oh_, and she had this crazy showdown with some of your stalkers! I think she was winning, too…"

Yuhan wheeled around. "What was she doing here at the Palace?" He suddenly paused. "Wait, my _stalkers?_" he yelled."_You let her near those creatures?_" He pulled infuriatingly at the hairs beneath his hat as his friend burst into a fit of laughter. Oh, those prissy no-life's were really in for it _now _if they'd dared to insult his girl…

"Spirits, you need to take it easy!" Hiroshu gasped, his rib hurting again from all the laughter. "You've got work to do, and you can always say hi to her later – _and _kill your stalkers. Now stop standing there like an idiot and get in!"

The tired agent took one last glance around the ruined courtyard, dropping his shoulders. His anger slowly subsided into worry. If Riya had really been so close to the Palace, then where was she now? Why hadn't she come back? He began to wonder if Hiroshu was just messing with him.

Something bright and yellow in the distance suddenly caught Yuhan's eye. He began to walk towards it without thinking.

"Hey, where are you going?" Hiroshu called after him.

Yuhan ignored his partner, walking almost halfway across the courtyard until he reached a wilted chrysanthemum lying across the cracked marble. He stooped down, picking the pale yellow flower gently from the ground. Attached to its stem was a long, polished wood hairpin. The pieces of his rock glove slid back from his hand, hovering about his wrist as he felt one of the familiar petals between his fingers. "She _was _here…" he whispered softly.

But what was her pin doing in such a random place? Yuhan's eyebrows furrowed. He ignored the irritated groans from the agents waiting in the distance, looking around once more. His eyes suddenly locked onto a distorted patch of earth, less than twenty feet away. He recognized that patch…Its discoloration had been caused by his own Earthbending. The Earthbending he'd performed to trap Joo Dee into the ground.

Yuhan slowly looked down at the flower in his hand, then back at the patch. "Oh, no…" All of the feeling left his body. Both of his gloves crumbled away, dropping to the ground in little pieces. The hairpin also slipped between his fingers, carrying the chrysanthemum with it. Yuhan pressed his eyes shut as the painful realization twisted his face. _Riya is suffering._ His head felt strangely empty, and he could barely breathe because of the crushing pain in his chest. All of the surrounding noises seemed to hollow out, reduced to a distant ring in his ears.

He must've stood there for an eternity, for Hiroshu suddenly came up behind him, clapping a hand onto his shoulder. His friend had somehow managed to hobble over on a crutch. "What is the _deal?_" Even Hiroshu sounded impatient now. "Wake up!"

Yuhan glared back, his eyes filled with a sudden intensity. "Hiroshu. Tell the others not to wait for me. I'm taking the train to the Lower Ring."

"Wha – the TRAIN? Are you out of your_ mind?_" Hiroshu was flabbergasted. He waved a hand in front of Yuhan's face as if to wake him up. "_Hello? _Remember the rules? Agent plus train equals Long Feng's wrath – _Yuhan _plus train equals death! You have orders to return to headquarters! Does _any _of that –"

"Hiroshu!" Yuhan furiously hit his partner's arm out of the way. "_I'm going to the Lower Ring._" He lifted a hand to silence Hiroshu's outburst of protests."And I know the rules, okay? So _shut up!_"

The words sent Hiroshu backing slowly away. He stared back, his normally carefree expression replaced with alarm and concern. "But…Long Feng…"

"Go ahead, tell Long Feng – I don't care!" Yuhan snapped, causing Hiroshu's eyes to widen twice their size.

And with that, the disobedient agent sprinted away from the courtyard as fast as his legs could carry him.

He'd made his choice.

* * *

><p>non-PMable reviewers, yay!<p>

_ksks: _sorry i'm taking a long time to update T.T i hate it too, but i've just been so busy! and uh sorry...this chapter also ends with a cliffhanger :X but i promise it won't be so cliff-y next time :D

_LuckyButter: _why hello! i'm glad you think my writing is actually "cute" when i'm talking about the couple xD you have no idea how hard it is for me...well, actually maybe you do lol ;) i'm sure all writers have to struggle with it at some point haha. anyway thanks for your kind compliments :D

_wt183: _HEY you came back! hahaha thank you :DDD i'll be continuing this in about two weeks

and finally, commenting on KimberlyT.'s review because it's so insightful as always...yeah, Yuhan's pretty much screwed for their relationship, not gonna lie haha. but i have a plan! still, there's going to be lots of trouble from here on. i just hope i can correctly write it out the way i'm picturing it in my head lol. wish me luck! and thank you :)


	12. Salty Rivers

Sorry I'm still updating so slow! I'm a crafter as much as I am a writer (what's this? minnichi makes _crafts?_) and I've been carried away on deviantart for a while. Sorry...heheh.

But I still tried my best on this chapter. Anddd just from looking at the title, perhaps you've guessed that this chapter is AGONY GALORE! Almost made me depressed writing it x_x I didn't mean for this chapter to be so short compared to the last, but when I finished that's all there was to it. Sorry you had to wait so long for a short chappie D:

Thanks for all your support as always, and I hope you enjoy what lies ahead! Here we go.

* * *

><p><em>Laughter and rumbling stirred the humble Lower Ring residents awake. The sun had barely risen, but the children were already at it again. They played in a dusty clearing behind the walls of an old apartment complex, and the earth beneath them shot around their feet like waves. Carried along the wave was a makeshift soccer ball, worn and marred by countless repair stitches. <em>

_After a few poorly coordinated moves, the soccer ball sailed away from the dirty field, disappearing from sight. The children argued amongst themselves, blaming and criticizing each other's Earthbending. They continued to quarrel even after one of the boys finally volunteered to go fetch the missing ball._

_The squabbling died out in the distance as the little boy darted away from the soccer field. Like most seven-year-olds in the Lower Ring, he was full of energy and almost bone thin. His hair was reduced to a small layer of fuzz, since his mother had grown tired of washing dirt out of it all the time. It appeared more brown than black, since so much dust had already collected atop his head. In fact, his entire body seemed to be the same dull brown; the dirt had settled everywhere, from his battered clothes to his skin._

_He found the soccer ball in the hands of another child. The boy could only tell that she was a _she _because of her robe dress; the giant mess of brown hair covering almost half her face nearly caused him to think otherwise. She sat on the ground against one of the apartment walls, the dirty sphere resting at her feet. Her tiny hands were fiddling with a distorted chunk of wood and a small knife. _

"_Hi!" As he spoke, the boy's one striking feature shone brightly through all the brown covering his body: a pair of smiling green eyes, dark but not quite dark enough to hide the boldness of their color. _

_The little girl looked up from her wood chunk. "Hey!" She smiled back, picking up the ball and holding it out to him. "You're looking for this, right?" _

"_Yeah! Thanks," the boy replied cheerily, snatching up the ball under an arm. He wondered why he'd never seen this girl before; his neighborhood was small, and it was almost impossible for any child not to know each other. She simply looked back down after handing the ball over, picking up her chunk of wood again. He watched curiously as she continued to chip away at it. "Hey…is that a _badgermole_?" he asked, the realization hitting him. Though its wooden legs were slightly uneven, there was no mistaking the creature. _

_For some reason, the girl seemed completely startled by his sudden statement. She jerked her head back up and stared through her mass of hair, as if he wasn't supposed to be there. "Oh…U-um, yes it is! I made it," she stammered. _

"_You _made _it? That's so cool!" The fuzzy-haired boy leaned over to take a closer look at her work, his eyes filled with interest. With every word he spoke, the girl only seemed more disturbed and bewildered. _

"_Yeah, I guess it is," Afro Girl replied uncertainly. After a moment of hesitation, she added quietly, "A-aren't you going to return to your earth soccer game?" Her tone was sad, yet distantly hopeful at the same time. Hopeful of what, the boy had no idea. _

"_Well, yeah. In a little bit," he responded, confused. A new suspicion suddenly struck him. "Am I annoying you?" His mother had often warned him about bothering other children, other all. _

_She rapidly shook her head, her massive hair bobbing about. "No!" she quickly replied. "I mean, I don't know. It's just…" She fidgeted with the little badgermole. "No one usually...talks to me..." _

"_Huh?" The fuzzy-haired boy began to find her very random and confusing. "Everyone talks to each other here!" he stated simply. "If you come play earth soccer with us, all the neighborhood kids are there, and –" _

"_I can't play," she replied flatly. In response to his quizzical expression, she added, "I'm not like everyone else." Laying down her wooden figure, she sighed and drew her knees to her chest. _

"_You're not? I can't tell." The boy scratched his head. _

"_I'm not like you," the little girl mumbled again. "You see this?" She picked up a small pebble, hanging it loosely between her thumb and index finger. "When I play with rocks…" The pebble hit the ground again with a small plop. "They all fall back down. They don't move like when _you_ touch them. So I can't play. And no one talks to me." Her voice wavered a little at the last sentence. _

"_Oh…that's weird."_

"_Mmhmm." _

_The boy couldn't think of anything else to say. Somewhere in the midst of the silence, however, he suddenly noticed that there was something gleaming on her cheeks in little streaks. "Wait – are you _crying_?" he exclaimed, taken aback. _

_Afro Girl immediately swiped at her face. "N-no…" she muttered. _

"_You sure?" The little boy slid down next to her on the wall, setting the ball aside. "Because Mommy says I shouldn't leave anyone who cries by themself. She says it's a mean and bad thing to do. And it looks like you're crying, so I think I'm supposed to not leave you by yourself because it's supposed to be bad, but I'm not sure because you said you're _not_ crying so I don't really know what I'm supposed to do…" _

_As he babbled on, the little girl stared through her tangled hair, watching him almost disbelievingly. Whatever shone in her hazel eyes at that moment was completely hidden to him. _

"…_and Mommy says it's even worse if the person who's crying is crying because of _you,_" continued the fuzzy-haired boy. "I mean, not _you, _but me. And I still think you're crying, and I don't know why, and so that might mean it's because of me. So…um, am I making you cry?" he asked with all the childish innocence in the world. _

_Afro Girl kept staring blankly at him, trying to understand the string of words he'd just spat out. Before she could answer, however, a second dusty boy came running towards them. He was a bit skinnier than her new acquaintance and had a lighter shade of green eyes, but the dirt made the two look almost identical._

"_What are you doing?" demanded the new boy. "None of us can play without the ball, and we've been waiting for you! Come on!" _

_The fuzzy-haired boy quickly nodded and stood back up, picking the ball from the ground. He turned to say bye to Afro Girl, who remained sitting quietly against the wall. It suddenly occurred to him, however, that the streaks running down her cheeks seemed to glisten more than ever. He looked back down at the ball in his hands for a moment, sighing. "You can take this back. I'm not playing." As he spoke, he threw the dirty sphere over to his soccer playmate, who caught it and eyed him questioningly. The second boy didn't think on it for long, though, and he was running off in no time. _

_The little girl went completely still as her new acquaintance sat back down with her. He shrugged at her silence, casually floating some pebbles into the air and circling them around his fingers for amusement. According to his reasoning, he'd be disobeying his mother if he left this girl alone with her tears. He would rather be kicked in the face by one of the soccer boys than be caught disobeying his mother. Besides, the girl had some pretty neat woodbending skills that he was curious to learn. And she was nice – weird, but nice. It wasn't a hard decision for him to stay behind. _

"_So," the boy with emerald eyes finally asked again, "…Am I making you cry?" It bothered him that the streams still hadn't left her face. _

_Surprisingly, she smiled. Though the massive hair covering her eyes made it look bizarre, it was the brightest smile he'd seen from her so far. "No…no, you're not," she replied, her tone strangely different from before. _

"_Well, that's good. Because I don't want to. Now how'd you make that badgermole? Maybe you can teach me how to Woodbend, and I can teach you how to Earthbend…"_

O/O

The air in the train was uncomfortable. It didn't take long for Yuhan to realize that most of the passengers either feared or hated him as soon as they recognized his uniform. Though there were a number of new refugees riding into the Lower Ring as well, the other passengers quietly warned them to steer clear of him. He sat isolated in a corner of the seats, and they all looked away from him as soon as he met their eyes.

"_Isn't that an agent of the Dai Li?"_

"_Thought they were too high and mighty for the train."_

"_Shhh, he'll hear you if you keep talking like that. The last thing we need is another brainwashing goon after us."_

He could hear all of their whispers. Sighing, he lowered his head to conceal his eyes and folded his hands within his sleeves. The slight ache he felt from the disapproving voices, however, was nothing compared to the ripping pain pulsing throughout his body whenever his thoughts drifted back to Riya. He wanted to see her so badly, yet part of him was terrified of doing so. Another part of him wanted to explain to her the perfectly moral reasons for her foster parents' imprisonment, and yet another part wanted to hold her tightly in his arms, to beg for her forgiveness.

It seemed like all those parts of his mind were at war with each other. One thing was for sure, though. No force in the world – not the Dai Li, not Long Feng, not any potential punishment – could make Yuhan regret coming to the Lower Ring tonight. Riya was alone, suffering, and…most likely crying. He wasn't sure why, but the moment he imagined her tear-filled face, he became absolutely driven to return to her at once. He'd even surprised himself when he blew off Hiroshu and disregarded all the strict rules of his organization. It was a strange and automatic reflex…but it felt right.

"We are now approaching the 4th division of our wonderful city's Lower Ring," announced a Joo Dee.

Somewhere beneath Yuhan's sleeves, one of his fingers found Riya's bracelet. Now that his hands were no longer covered in stone, he could feel it in its entirety. Grasping the leather cords tightly, he inhaled slowly. He no longer knew what to do, only that he had to _be_ there with her. A slight pang wrung his heart when it occurred to him that she might no longer return the wish.

O/O

It was truly a beautiful night. Yuhan looked up into the moonless sky, which was illuminated by more stars than he'd ever seen in his life. They shined so brightly that the humble neighborhood approaching in the distance was in plain view, even at so late an hour. The agent sighed and finally tore his eyes away from the stunning sky. Such beauty…such a shame…

Some of her neighbors were still walking about outside, finishing their errands for the night. They greeted him kindly, though hesitantly. All of them seemed to glance nervously in the direction of her house as he passed them. They knew, and they were waiting. A few of them gave him encouraging smiles, which he could only return half-heartedly.

Finally, Yuhan found himself facing her door. He looked sadly at the small black soot stain that she'd never washed from it. Were those panda lilies still sitting on her windowsill? Shaking his head, he found the courage to speak at last. "Riya…"

He thought his voice was too quiet, but there was a sudden loud shuffling from inside the house as soon as her name escaped his lips. Then more silence. Yuhan cleared his throat, trying his hardest to keep a steady tone. "Riya," he repeated louder, "I need…"

His voice trailed away when the door quietly slid open. The first things he saw were her eyes. They cut straight through him. Their hazel color clashed horribly with the surrounding crimson, and they could only look at him through half-closed lids because of the immense swelling everywhere. Then her tangled hair came into view, hanging crazily about her shoulders, which were covered loosely in a tear-soaked nightgown. Finally her lips met his gaze, turned permanently down as she spoke. "W-Wha…What…" It seemed as if she'd forgotten how to talk. "What…are you doing…h-here?"

"Riya…" Yuhan reached a hand towards her face, the horror evident in his eyes. She sharply turned from him, however, pacing away towards her bedroom. He closed the door behind him and followed her with heavy footsteps, watching the back of her head. "Well…I…I told you I'd come back tonight," he said at last, quite uselessly.

"Oh. T-that's right," Riya replied dismissively, still looking away from him as she came to a stop in front of a row of wooden plaques on the floor. Her head lowered a bit as she stared down at them.

Yuhan took a deep breath as he came up beside her. He read the familiar names carved into the wood, then closed his eyes for a long moment. "Riya…" For some reason, he seemed to start all of his sentences with her name tonight. "I know that...you saw…out there…Upper Ring…" He was more inarticulate than ever, and it was so hard to focus when Riya finally looked at him, a single tear escaping her swollen eye. "And, well…" he continued desperately, "I think that maybe I should explain –"

Riya suddenly gave a bitter laugh, cutting him off. She picked up one of the wooden plaques, scanning it through her half-closed eyelids. "Yuhan," she began, his name so broken on her lips that it hurt him to hear it, "Do you know why my favorite color is jade?"

The question seemed random, yet horribly related at the same time. Yuhan could only stammer back, "N-no. I don't. Why…?"

The name carved into the plaque in her hands was that of her stepmother. "I never had a favorite color when I was younger," she explained, her red eyes glowing mysteriously. "I never cared to pay attention to them, and it didn't seem to matter after I lost my birth parents. _But_…" Riya looked at him again, her eyes boring into his soul. "I changed my mind when I met my foster parents." Yuhan swallowed as she continued to stare at him, unblinking. "You see, Mina has the most beautiful eye color I can ever remember," she continued, her voice beginning to shake. "When I saw them, I decided that my favorite color is jade. No one else has green eyes like her…d-don't you think so, Yuhan?" Her nails clenched down hard on the plaque.

The shock and undisguised shame twisted his face all at once, giving him away. Riya understood immediately, and a new wave of grief overcame her as her stepmother's plaque clattered to the floor. She threw her hands over her face, the tears leaking out between her fingers while Yuhan watched in dismay.

All at once, he was clinging desperately to her shoulders as she continued to cover her face, the sobs shaking her small frame. "R-Riya! Stop it…please…" he begged, his eyes failing to meet hers, "Let me explain! Let me…help you…" He had no idea what he was saying.

"You've seen her before!" Riya suddenly cried, tearing her hands away from her face. "You've seen _both _of them! How did they look?" She made a fist and began to bang on his chest violently with every sentence. "Were her eyes still beautiful?" She hit him again. "Or were you too busy _killing _them to pay attention?" she screeched.

"W-what?" Yuhan ignored the constant berating on his chest, his expression turning puzzled. "I didn't –"

"_Don't even try!" _Riya cut him off, wrenching herself free from his grasp. "Is that all there is to the Dai Li? Lies and killing? Well, you've become _quite_ the agent!" She stormed into the kitchen and threw herself into one of its chairs as Yuhan frantically followed. "Oh, and you wanna know something else?" she spat. He only looked at her fearfully in reply. "When the plague hit my parents, _I _caught the disease too." Her voice was shrill. "I always assumed that the Dai Li saved me, because it was an agent who gave me medicine and took me to the refugee arrival station. _Imagine that!" _Yuhan cringed. "But today I sorted out my memories and realized that my true savior was a woman from the Lower Ring. She threatened the agent with a _rebellion _so that he'd get _punished _by his leader if he let me die. He was going to _let me die, _Yuhan! It's all so clear now!" With the last sentence, she finally broke down, her head sinking into her arms on the table. "Stupid…I'm so stupid…" she choked through her sobs.

Riya felt him place a tender hand on her shoulder, trying his hardest to think of anything in the world to say. She didn't allow him to. "I'm not going to wait around for another one of your lies!" she snapped, facing him again as the tears ran freely down her face. "If you have _any _drop of soul left in you, you'll tell me why you did what you did! Tell me all about the Dai Li's laws about killing people and wiping away their minds. I'd _love _to hear it!" Her hands were trembling as they hit his away.

Yuhan sighed as Riya stood up again and marched over to the window. She gazed aimlessly at the stars outside, though they seemed to calm her down a tiny bit. Every tear that dripped from her chin seemed to fall like a lead weight upon his heart, and the helplessness of the situation was unbearable. He hesitantly joined her at the windowsill, and they finally faced each other somewhat calmly for the first time that night.

Riya seemed taken aback when she met his eyes, but she quickly ignored whatever grief she saw within them. "Well?" she demanded.

The guilty agent began his speech. "I…my organization moderates the activities related to the war with the Fire Nation."

The girl slowly nodded. "So there's actually a war going on outside," she said quietly.

"Yes, there is. And our job is to make sure that Ba Sing Se remains at peace, despite the violent situation outside the walls. Many of the citizens, however, want to get involved in the war, and they don't realize how bad it would be for the city," Yuhan continued, taking a deep breath. "Most of those citizens are refugees from outside the walls, and they want revenge on the Fire Nation for destroying their homes. The refugees all come here because they lost something important in the war…like your foster parents."

Riya's swollen eyes widened. "So…so that's why they never told me…"

"They never told you about the war," the agent went on, "because they came here to start a new life. That's what all refugees come here to do. But…" He looked away from her. "Every once in a while, there's refugees who can't accept to live a peaceful life in Ba Sing Se. They want to bring the war into the city. We – we can't let them do that, because the rest of the citizens would suffer if they did. So…we sometimes have to…take measures to…make sure they accept…" Yuhan's voice died out. He knew that he'd already lost Riya at this point.

The grieving girl began to breathe hard once again, gaping at him disbelievingly. "So you're telling me that…that it's _okay _to go around brainwashing people and _killing _them to maintain the 'internal peace' of Ba Sing Se? Is that why my foster parents aren't around anymore?" she asked, her voice low.

Yuhan lowered his eyes. "…Yes."

Riya squeezed her red eyes shut, running a hand through her messy hair. "I don't…how can you…you really _believe_ all that?" She opened her eyes again, staring at him as if he were some bizarre animal.

The agent lowered his head even more, his hat covering his eyes. The hidden awareness deep inside of him threatened to break free at that moment, but the rules and reasoning of the Dai Li had been drilled into his head too long, too strictly, too permanently… "Yes." His reply was simple and firm.

There was a long and painful moment of silence as Riya struggled to compose herself. When she finally spoke again, she gazed blankly at him, looking as if she had no energy left in her body. "Would you still obey the Dai Li…if _your_ parents were the ones threatening the 'balance' of the city?"

Yuhan jerked his head up. "Riya…I…" She was standing so close to him now, her face almost pleading with him. He cleared his throat. "As an agent of the Dai Li…" The words seemed unnatural and automatic. "I have a sworn obligation to my duties. I can't let any personal attachments –"

He never got to finish his sentence, for Riya slapped him across the face as hard as she could. He almost staggered backwards after the first and unexpected blow. "You – _you disgust me!_" she screamed, landing another blow. "You're a heartless (_slap!_), deceitful (_slap!_), horrible (_slap!_), pathetic creature!"

Yuhan caught her wrist at the last slap, his cheek throbbing red. "You…have to understand…" he began despairingly, but she raised her other hand and hit him yet again. Soon enough, he was grabbing onto both her wrists. She gave a final, agonized cry and tore herself away, no longer bearing to even look at him.

The agent's hand slid over his own face as Riya broke down once more and staggered across the floor. What had he just said to her? Did he really believe it? Yes…and no. What was he supposed to tell her? He couldn't even get his own feelings straight. Hitting his forehead for a moment, Yuhan finally managed some words without thinking. "I'm sorry, Riya. I don't know what I…I'm not sure…" His head was in such a mess.

"_I've heard enough from you,_" she replied coldly, keeping her back turned to him. "Why…why did you have to join the Dai Li?" It was apparent that she no longer cared if he was listening or not. "You changed…changed so much…I miss…" Her words became drowned in her tears. She didn't notice how Yuhan suddenly paused behind her, his expression pained and confused. Raising her voice, she finally declared, "You can leave now."

The icy words were more painful than ever. "But…you're…" His voice was barely a whisper as he watched the endless salty rivers flood her swollen eyes.

"Yuhan…please leave…" she choked, motioning aimlessly towards the door.

O/O

Of all the people in the world, Hiroshu was waiting outside Riya's house, leaning casually on a crutch. The older agent looked uncharacteristically sympathetic, and his expression seemed to soften even more when he met Yuhan's desolate eyes.

"Well, I went through a load of trouble to cover for you," Hiroshu simply stated, smiling slightly. "Came up with a whole story about your mom visiting the Lower Ring and getting hit with a peasant's carriage! And she insisted that she had to be able to see you again if she was going to die," he chuckled softly. "I even got her to play along. She was a few blocks away from here just a moment ago, pretending to be injured! Some agents came by to check, and she told them you were out getting bandages. Managed to do it all with a broken rib! Where's my thanks?" He sighed when Yuhan gave no response. "I know Long Feng still won't be happy, but at the most he'll just let you get off with a warning. Besides, he's got a lot more to worry about right now. Oh – he's been arrested, did you know that?"

None of the rambling did anything to ease Yuhan's gloomy spirits. He knew that his partner had done more than he could ever ask for, but the thanks seemed to die before it reached his lips. His own family had gone out their way to make sure he wouldn't be punished by Long Feng…yet, all he could think about was Riya. Depressed, miserable Riya.

Hiroshu understood, of course, and he gave up trying to distract his partner. Unfortunately, a wretched sob from inside the house filled the air before he could say any comforting words. The noise seemed to shatter Yuhan's expression, and his eyes became hollow.

"Come on, buddy…" Hiroshu patted his partner on the back, though he ignored him. "We've got to get out of here." He had to give a few shoves before Yuhan finally agreed to be led away.

And so the two Dai Li agents disappeared silently into the night, leaving Riya crying alone in her little house.

* * *

><p>Oh my god, I tortured my characters so much in this chapter T.T But it had to be done! Here's a thanks to my reviewers as always ^^<p>

So the general reaction to the last chapter has been that Yuhan's screwed. Well, now you see that he truly is xD except I spared him the unimaginable punishment of Long Feng, at least.

Also, thank you old reviewers who returned to this story :P I'm really happy that you remembered this fic for so long! And I can't thank you enough for all your wonderful comments!

Hopefully my next update will come faster than this one since I'm still on holiday break. Be on the lookout! :P


	13. Unanswerable Questions

I'm BACK! And I have to offer my GREATEST APOLOGIES to everyone who was keeping up with this! I had such a horrid writer's block, and this chapter is probably literally the 10th attempt. but i'm finally happy with the result :D also, i've randomly spawned a second ATLA fic that goes completely against my writing nature. it was actually the cure to my block xDDD read if you dare!

Aside from that, I've updated my profile with some awesomeness (cough cough please go look cough!). My character designs for Yuhan and Riya have been replaced by the work of arriku from deviantart. YOU MUST SEE. REALLY! No words can describe it 8)

Anyway I hope the quality of this chapter suffices for such a long delay D: tell me what ya think!

* * *

><p>The sun slowly reddened as it began to settle in the horizon, its fading rays casting a warm light upon everything it touched. The vibrant greens and yellows of the Impenetrable City's agrarian fields were dulled to brown and beige.<p>

Riya observed this gradual change in color as she sat quietly against the trunk of an ancient elm tree, resting upon a hill in the outskirts of the city. Her eyes had lost their usual shine, and they stared blankly at the scene as dully as the colors of the fields. Her hands loosely clasped a small block of scrap wood and a whittling knife, though they remained still in her lap.

_That's it – I _hate_ Woodbending! Ya know what? Watch this! _

…_That's a rock._

_I know it is! Just watch._

_Wow…! You even got the claws right…_

A small, bittersweet smile made its way across her face. It felt like she hadn't changed her detached, vacant expression in ages, and the upward curve of her lips almost felt painful.

_Can you do that thing you did with the rock back then? Like how you just held it up and magically turned it into an armadillo lion? _

_Oh. Well…I don't really feel like Earthbending right now. Sorry._

…_I've never heard you say that before. _

A tear silently made its way down the side of her cheek, dropping onto the little piece of wood in her hands. Ironically, the young woman let out a short laugh, which came out so quietly that it sounded more like a small sigh.

_Hey now, don't look at me like that! Let's see…alright. Uh, watch this._

_But that's your – _

_It's just a bunch of flat pebbles. Just 'cause they cover my hand doesn't make them anything special. Anyway. Ta da…! Just for you. _

Riya exhaled slowly. Leaning her head back against the trunk, she shut her aching eyes to rest. The whittling knife slipped from her fingers as her hand fell to her side, brushing against the grass.

She missed him.

The problem was that she missed _him_, not the vile, psychopathic creature in the Dai Li uniform. He was still there. As distorted and as unrecognizable as he became during the last seven years…he was still there.

Barely.

Her heart stubbornly latched onto those last remains of him, which had given her such happiness. Her mind, however, kept herself painfully aware of the impossibility of the situation now. The conflict of the two only led to her overall deterioration, and she felt weary even resting upon the quiet hill this evening.

Riya's hand unexpectedly brushed against a powdery substance hidden in the grass. Her dull hazel eyes suddenly widened, then strained to hold back a flood of tears. She slowly felt the powder between her fingers, having long recognized it before she turned her head down to look.

It was ash – ashes that contained a unique texture produced only by the burning of incense sticks. Someone else had come here to mourn for their loved ones. Her momentary peace having been disrupted, the girl sighed and stood up to find another hill.

"Riya! Riya!"

She lifted her head to observe a small figure running energetically at her from the distance. It was followed by a taller, calmer figure that stood behind. Riya couldn't help but smile. "Shen…you've gotten so healthy."

"I always am!" replied the little Earthbender, digging his feet and throwing his bony arms towards the ground. A pillar shot out beneath his legs, launching him through the air. He landed swiftly by Riya's side, though slightly off-balance. "Daddy says you're sad. Are you sad? And where's Hannie? Are you mad at him?"

Riya chuckled softly at the strange tendency for children to use his nickname, but she couldn't find the words to reply.

"Shen, why don't you go play over there?" cut in Mr. Huang's deep voice. The man gave a courteous nod as he met Riya's gaze, but his eyes were narrowed with concern.

Though the child still had many questions to ask, he could sense the urgency in his father's voice. His bright green eyes flickered between the two adults for a brief moment, but he quickly shrugged and ran down the hill, kicking aside a few boulders in his way.

Riya watched the back of Shen's curly brown hair. "He was a lot like him…" she couldn't help commenting, her eyes growing even more somber.

Mr. Huang looked over at her with a sad smile, hesitating a few seconds before speaking. "Riya, we all knew that you'd have to learn the truth one day," he began. His aged brown eyes grew softer. "…But we never wanted you to be so unhappy."

The young woman bit down on her lip for a moment. "I'm not…unhappy. I'm still adjusting, that's all…"

The middle-aged man observed her carefully as she avoided his gaze and stared after little Shen in the distance. "It's always best to adjust," he agreed. She continued to stare away. "However, there are many things you've yet to learn before making any final judgments…Would you care to listen?"

Riya looked back at him, her eyes tired and disoriented. "What good would it do me to learn all the details of what they do? I know enough to make a pretty good judgment of who they are – who he is…"

"Who he is, Riya, may not have changed." Mr. Huang looked hard into her eyes, which gazed back a little wider.

The discouraged girl quickly turned her head back away. "This is really something," she laughed bluntly. "All of you, who told me to avoid them at all costs, are defending one of them now?"

"Our opinion of the Dai Li remains the same," her neighbor replied firmly, his expression darkening, "but we also know them well enough to spot anything unusual among their members." Riya's eyes were downcast. "Yuhan…is far from the usual," he finished softly.

Her bleak expression showed no signs of change, and she remained silent.

Mr. Huang sighed. "I know it's difficult…considering everything that's happened in your family." Riya shifted a little. "Since you're already going to be staying out here for a while, though…would you still care to listen?"

O/O

Hiroshu had naturally sought out and banded with the most outspoken, lively agents during his time in the Dai Li. It was really only his friendship with his partner that was unusual. "I can't even find him half the time!" he groaned, as six fellow members sat around him in an abandoned room of headquarters. Since they'd recently switched facilities, no formal lounge was constructed yet, and free agents often hung around these random areas instead.

"I don't get it, though," piped in one of the other agents, who happened to be a happily married man with a family - his relaxed green eyes and tanned skin were an obvious enough indication. "Don't we all go through these kinds of breakups at some point? I mean 2 out of 3 girls are going to freak out over the whole conversion thing…"

"Well, you know him. The kid's complicated." Hiroshu gave an exasperated sigh as he leaned back against his makeshift stone chair. "Ever since he joined, he's been all 'Must worship Long Feng's every order. Farewell life.'" His dulled tone was remarkably accurate in his imitation, as he circled a finger in front of his face to indicate a conversion chamber lantern.

"Then why didn't he just stay that way? I mean he would've been better off than he is _now_…"

"Yeah, or why won't he just go out and meet another girl who's not crazy?"

Hiroshu dropped his head as the other agents threw in their various suggestions, sighing again. "The whole thing's really troublesome…She's his childhood sweetheart."

All of the other agents seemed to groan in unison, and some threw their stony hands over their faces.

"Dear Spirits, how's anyone supposed to fix something like that?" remarked the happily married agent. "Or – wait, did he have _another_ childhood sweetheart by any chance that you could find?"

"'Sweetheart' isn't supposed to be plural, Jian…" Hiroshu muttered. "Besides, I'm pretty sure he didn't like any girls when he was that little, knowing him." He scratched his chin for a moment. "Well – he _did_ mention a girl Earthbender he played soccer with a lot, and he _did _admit to thinking she was 'interesting'…"

The other agents glued their eyes on him in eager anticipation.

"…But then she dropped a brick on his foot after she lost to him."

His fellow members all groaned again.

"And that got him pissed enough to rain a shower of mud on her," Hiroshu continued grimly. He was answered with even more various noises of grievance. "The kid's always had a temper, I'll say. _Thennn_ he had to rest his broken foot for months, and he spent all that time carving and playing Pai Sho with his sweetheart." As he finished, he joined the others this time and exhaled glumly.

Another agent decided to speak up. He was rather pale like Yuhan, but lacked the permanent shadows beneath his young and fresh brown eyes. "So wait…maybe if that Earthbending girl didn't go dropping a brick on his foot, they might've had a chance? I mean it seems like they'd both get along, with their crazy tempers." The other agents began to nod and share various comments with one another.

…Except for Hiroshu. "Well, he kind of went and met his future girlfriend on his own, you see," he stated, his expression gloomy. "By the time the brick was dropped he'd already been hanging around her for a few years." None of the agents could think of anything to answer at this point. "And in all honesty, guys…it really doesn't help that I haven't seen very many better-looking girls. Not to mention I can't even tell in the Upper Ring with all the makeup!"

Jian stood up. "Well, that's just swell!" he said grumpily. There was no answer. "Anyway, my wife wants me to be in time for dinner today, and I haven't seen her all week. I'd love to discuss this further tomorrow but…it's hopeless, isn't it?"

"_What's hopeless?"_

Hiroshu was the only one who didn't jump at the sight of duller-than-usual green eyes, which hardly stood out against the massive pools of black beneath them. "Good to see you, buddy!" he remarked cheerily. "Thought you died in one of those conversion chambers for a moment."

His partner's gloom seemed infectious, and the room suddenly felt darker and creepier than before. The other agents shifted uncomfortably, as if they'd just remembered that their new headquarters was in the middle of an old tomb.

"H-hey, Yuhan!" Jian tried to smile amiably. The dismal eyes turned to glance at him. "We've been missing you these days! You should come hang more often…" Still no answer. "And…also get more sleep…maybe…?"

"The sleeping issue's always been lost cause, Jian," Hiroshu cut in, smirking a little as he stood. "You should go meet your family now."

The gloomy agent hardly acknowledged Jian's departure, glancing again to the side to observe him slipping quietly out of the door. "We all have many issues to attend to with Long Feng's current situation…" he finally stated very slowly, his brows furrowing slightly. The other agents watched him fearfully. "You shouldn't have time to lounge around discussing my problems. Do you all want to be punished after he gets out of prison?"

There was a moment of silence. The agents turned sharply towards Hiroshu, however, when he spoke up boldly. "Oh, cut the fancy talk, pal." His eyes were narrowed. The ominous green eyes narrowed back in response. "You really shouldn't be worrying about how we do our jobs, seeing as you've been taking forever to finish your conversions."

All of the other agents flinched except for Yuhan, who bore a very chilling gaze. "You could all join in to get it done faster, but I'm still waiting to hear any volunteers," he scowled.

Hiroshu turned plainly to his fellow agents, who all seemed ready to leave. "You guys can go hang somewhere else if he's being too grouchy for you."

The two partners stayed behind as the others gladly shuffled out the door. The dark green eyes were overshadowed as they stared vaguely at the dusty floor. "Yuhan…" Hiroshu began, with a rare formal usage of his friend's name. "You're seriously a wreck."

In the blink of an eye, the younger agent was wrenched backwards as soon as he turned sharply to leave. He twisted his head back around, his eyes murderous yet broken all at once.

"I know I'm not the better Earthbender…" Hiroshu gritted his teeth as he clenched his palm, struggling to keep the stone glove locked onto the back of his friend's collar. "But you can go ahead and kill me this time if you don't want to hear me out."

O/O

Both Riya and her middle-aged neighbor sat quietly beneath the lone elm tree this time. Shen was still wrecking havoc among various rocks in the distance, with his everlasting energy.

"I'm sure you realize that we wouldn't be watching him play right now if it weren't for Yuhan…" Mr. Huang remarked softly. His eyes followed every little movement of the young child, shining with loving pride.

The girl's somber eyes flickered for a moment. "I know. But he didn't give me the pass for that purpose." Her expression grew irate as she leaned forward, wrapping her arms around her knees, which were covered with one of her dull, patched up skirts; she'd avoided wearing anything from him these days. Her lengthy trips to the agrarian fields also served the same purpose, since her own house even caused her grief.

"What makes you say something like that, Riya?" asked her neighbor, looking sadly over.

"It…it was just another way to distract me from my dead parents. He wanted me to think everything was perfect so he could continue torturing and killing people in the background without worrying about anything. And it worked." She stated the last sentence very plainly, without a single hint of expression. Her fingers, however, clenched her knees a little tighter.

"_Riya – _I know that the pain you feel is indescribable, but you have to listen to me," Mr. Huang retorted sharply. The girl didn't respond. "Your parents are part of the reason I've come here, in fact."

At that, her eyes finally peered at him with curiosity, but they were still filled with doubt. "He and his lot killed them. Is there anything else I should know?"

"The truth is just the opposite, actually."

Riya was aghast. She sat up abruptly, her expression wild. "No – _no, _you're all just feeling sorry for me now!" she snapped. Aware of Shen's presence in the distance, however, she composed herself with some difficulty. "You've always complained about how they use murder as a solution to failed conversions," she continued stiffly. "Even if you were lying, where have Liu and Mina been hiding out for the past five years? I'd like to visit them, if you don't mind," she finished bitterly, eyeing the remnants of ash on the grass below them.

Mr. Huang gave a long sigh before speaking. "I really have to apologize to you for all of that. We never knew what happened to those who were taken without being converted. Like your parents…we never saw them again. So we naturally concluded that they'd been killed." His eyes narrowed. "However…recent events have suggested that those people may actually be sustained in some kind of prison underground."

The young woman scoffed a little. "That sounds like an awfully nice excuse to make Yuhan look better. Why didn't anyone hear about these 'prisons' before?" she remarked sarcastically. Before her neighbor could answer, however, she suddenly wrapped her arms around her knees again, dropping her face into them. "I'm sorry, Mr. Huang. I sound awful…" she sighed. Clearing her throat, she lifted her face again to address him. "I-I know you're worried about me, but I can deal with the facts. You don't have to say such things to make me feel better…"

"I wouldn't prefer to be dishonest with you either, Riya." Mr. Huang smiled sympathetically, reaching over to place a hand on her shoulder. "This is all pretty new to the Resistance, actually. The Dai Li have been more careless recently…seems like something's going on with their leader." He leaned forward on an elbow, wrinkling his eyebrows.

Riya's own brows furrowed as well. She'd always imagined the Cultural Minister to be some shadowy, intimating, untouchable man, based on Yuhan's descriptions. Though the young agent rarely mentioned him, his brief comments always held a strange, underlying fear. "Something happened to Sir Long Feng…?" she wondered out loud. "Wouldn't it have to be drastic to affect the Dai Li?"

"That's what we're trying to figure out," replied her neighbor, frowning. "They've always been so good at hiding everything from the city, and it's almost impossible to know what's really going on…" Riya's expression darkened. "_But,"_ Mr. Huang continued, his tone slightly uplifting, "I believe we're discussing your parents at the moment." The girl immediately turned sharply in the other direction. "What's important here is that we've heard certain…_rumors_ about 'failed rebels' and 'war-crazy prisoners.'" Riya was still unconvinced. "I wouldn't rely on rumor alone, but they came from the mouths of our very own agents, you see." He smiled a little when the young woman finally turned towards him again, though suspiciously. "Like I said, they've been careless."

"…But how do you know if the prisoners they mention include my stepparents?" Riya retorted miserably. "Also, how's there any guarantee that they even keep their prisoners alive? It could be a temporary custody, a-and if they fail conversions a certain number of times, then…then…" She bit down on her lip again, her eyes dampening.

"Indeed, five years is a long time," Mr. Huang continued sorrowfully, his shoulders dropping. "However, what you need to know more than anything else tonight, is that even if your parents have left this world…Yuhan was not the cause. I'm sure of it." His tone remained firm as he stared into Riya's glaring eyes.

"_He's seen them." _Her hands balled tight into fists, crumpling the fabric of her skirt within them. The quiet, ominous nature of her rage only made it more frightening. "He was probably one of the last things they saw, since they're dead – and even _you_ think they're dead, anyway." Her voice was low and carefully composed, but somehow very hostile at the same time. "Also, what other reason would he have for interacting with them? He 'specializes' in brainwashing, yet they're not here with us." She ignored Mr. Huang's attempts to protest. "If he failed, it's only logical in his book to…to dispose of them!"

Her neighbor quietly watched as she failed to keep in the tears this time. Riya angrily tore her face away from him, almost scraping the salty water off her cheeks with a sleeve. Taking his chance to speak, Mr. Huang cleared his throat. "I won't deny that he's caused you more pain than you've ever deserved," he said, motioning at Shen to stay away (the boy had noticed her visible display of grief). "You've gone through too much for someone your age already…" he added softly. Riya sniffled a little, still facing the other way. "But you're a strong girl, Riya. We all know that at the end of the day, you'll pull through just like always – which is why I have no reason to lie to you." The young woman was silent. "With that in mind, Riya, please believe me."

More silence.

The middle-aged man sighed again, but he supposed it was better than her earlier retaliation. "Anyhow, you've said so yourself that Yuhan seems to have an expertise for those…conversions. That's certainly unfortunate." He leaned back against the aged tree trunk, exhaling. "On the other hand, though…we haven't heard anything about a reputation for taking lives, have we?"

Her back still turned, Riya quietly shook her head in response, though it was too subtle to be considered movement at all.

"I suppose it's better to discuss his positive aspects – which, whether you take my word for it or not, he definitely has." Mr. Huang took in a deep breath. "Riya…he truly does care for you. All of us can see it, and so should you. He can't have harmed your parents…He doesn't have the heart to." His tone was definite, but knowing Riya, he still braced himself.

"_Really now?_" she replied coldly, her voice shaking. "Oh, so everyone can see that he cares _so_ much about me, using the money they paid him to brainwash people in order to buy me a house, new clothes, an all-exclusive pass around Ba –"

"_A pass that defies all logic of the Dai Li_," her neighbor cut in sharply. "Tell me, why would he do something like that? He can make you as happy as he wants with fancy accessories and flowers, but _why_ would he allow a Lower Ring peasant access to the Earth King, to whom she could spill all his secrets?"

Riya appeared somewhat dumbfounded, but she refused to back down. "Well – he didn't need to worry about any of that, because I was clueless anyway!"

"But why would he even risk it?" Her neighbor retorted.

"Because…because…!" The young woman's face twisted with frustration as she angrily crossed her arms over her knees again. "I-I don't know! He –"

"He forgot about the risk, Riya." Mr. Huang smiled, despite everything. "He forgot because he was only considering _your_ convenience, and _your_ chance to see more than the dirty Lower Ring."

Riya was silent, but only for a few moments. "Yet, he didn't consider _my _feelings about _my_ dead stepparents because of the Dai Li – _them_, not me. Or anyone else in this cursed city, for that matter." Her tone was bitter again.

"That's exactly my point."

The girl turned to face her neighbor for the first time since shedding tears earlier. "Whatever you mean by that, I'm sure it can't be good…"

Her eyes were so narrow that Mr. Huang could only make out two hazel slits. "I meant you no harm, Riya. We're dealing with two conflicting factors here. Yuhan, as a devoted agent, strictly upholds the secrecy of his organization without question. And yet, he's given someone from the worst possible environment for the Dai Li a free ride to the Royal Palace. He should've been aware that your pass could cause trouble for his entire organization, but he somehow overlooked it because he only remembered to think of _you_. How do these two things fit together?"

The troubled girl's expression slowly grew puzzled as she failed to reply.

"The boy is confused, Riya. That's why." Mr. Huang gazed hard at her, a new intensity in his eyes. "There are times when he can carry out the will of Sir Long Feng more perfectly than any other agent, and times when he inexplicably forgets the most fundamental rules of his organization. It reflects his inner conflict. His mind is either occupied by his devotion to the Dai Li…or his devotion to you."

Riya opened her mouth to protest, but the words seemed to choke up in her throat. Somewhere inside her, a nagging voice forced its way through her brain. _He's still there. _"W-well…that's still not good enough," she muttered. "Wouldn't it be better if he had _no_ devotion to the Dai Li?"

"Therefore you have to help him, Riya."

Her eyes widened as she gazed back at Mr. Huang, his face stern. "You don't have to lose Yuhan like everyone else who was close to you," he stated firmly. "Only you can rid him of the curse of his organization. Nothing else stands between the happiness you two could share. He could be a great man." The young woman stared down at the ground, her eyes troubled. "Do this for him, Riya…and for yourself," her neighbor finished assuredly.

Riya gave a dejected sigh. Several seconds passed as she tugged aimlessly at the ash-stained grass below. "…How?" she finally whispered, very weakly.

"You've already started the change. Can't you see it?" Mr. Huang smiled warmly as she looked up at him. "The way he greets Lower Ring citizens that any other agent would scoff at, the way he reaches out beyond the isolated bubble of his organization, the way he's made a place for himself in the heart of our Dai Li-hating community…he's no agent when you're around."

The young woman sat silently, her hazel eyes beginning to glow in deep thought. "No…He isn't."

O/O

"Lemme tell you something, buddy. Ever heard the tale of Old Sweepy?"

"Hiroshu…"

"Well obviously you've forgotten!" Yuhan's partner tried his best not to be fazed by the dagger-like eyes glaring back at him. The sleep-deprived agent had grudgingly agreed to stay behind in the abandoned room for a little while, solely out of his respect for their friendship – but it still seemed like he could change his mind any minute. Hiroshu had to choose his words carefully. "Old Sweepy used to have a name, though I can't remember…which only brings me to my next point. A superb agent, the guy was! He had everything, too – his own palace in the Upper Ring, a beautiful wife, the awesome title of Long Feng's right-hand man, a –"

"What's your point?"

Hiroshu's brow twitched a little as he struggled to keep his cool. Yuhan was so troublesome in his bad moods… "(Ahem) _Well,_ all of those things were taken from him in a matter of seconds, just like that!" he continued. "Didn't matter how important he was to Long Feng when he bombed one of his most important assignments. Do you remember where that landed him?"

"Long Feng kicked him down to the Lower Ring, where he spends the rest of his days sweeping dirty stables and spying on peasant rebels…" Yuhan mumbled very reluctantly, giving into his partner's insistence for a response. "_Everyone_ knows about him, Hiroshu. I even had to give him instructions to mislead the Avatar about the whole bison issue. Why do you feel the need to bring it up?"

He suddenly eyed the door when a third figure came striding in. "Because you'll end up just like him at this rate," Tyru remarked bluntly, a nasty smirk beginning to form on his face. "You'd best get your act together, Yuhan, if you don't want to become a dirty janitor too. Having trouble with conversions lately?"

Hiroshu looked like he wanted to bang his forehead against the brick wall. "That…was uncalled for..." he muttered. "Besides, he's still better than _you_ at conversions." He cautiously watched his partner out of the corner of his eye, who'd grown dangerously silent.

Tyru only seemed more amused, his cold grey eyes taunting. "For how much longer?" The sleep-deprived agent slowly peered up at him from beneath his hat. "Look, I'm not trying to start anything here, but I'm just saying…you'd better start enjoying your last days in that uniform if –"

"_If what?" _A few cracks began to branch across ground from beneath Yuhan's sole. His partner scooted away. "If I start taking as long to convert people as everyone else? If I become dull and insignificant among our members? If I fail to do squat for the Dai Li and then complain about getting no attention? If I become _you?_" he snarled.

Yuhan's eyes had cracked open to reveal flaring green, which seemed to pierce Tyru to the core. Surprisingly enough, the callous agent chuckled. "You can talk as impressively as you'd like for now, but –"

"But Long Feng would still take my word over yours any day." The Peace Orator looked ready to strangle someone. "If I were you, I'd avoid marching around and preaching others like a stuck-up idiot. I've always tried to be fair with you, Tyru, but I don't know…I'm starting to think that janitor uniform would look pretty good on you." Tyru pressed his lips shut, forming a scowl. "Perhaps I should tell Long Feng Sir how useless you were for the past three years, and how I had to cover for your crappy conversions?"

Yuhan's eyes gleamed with something that very few agents had ever seen: mockery. Tyru seemed realized the danger of his position, and he took the chance to back out. "Humph. Well, sorry to upset you, _almighty Yuhan, _but I suppose we'll see how Long Feng feels about his favorite agent once he gets out of prison." He turned on his heel and paced briskly out of the door.

Hiroshu groaned as Tyru's footsteps disappeared down the hall, his only chance to get through to his friend having been sabotaged. "Uh…" he began hesitatingly. "I'm just gonna say that –"

"I'm out time, Hiroshu. I'll catch you later," Yuhan interrupted dully, standing up. His eyes had dimmed as soon as the other agent left the room, looking as though the life was going to burn out of them any moment now.

"No you're not." Hiroshu smiled grimly. "I saw this coming, so Tao's already agreed to take over your next conversion."

Yuhan sighed loudly, dropping back down upon his makeshift seat. "You do realize that Tao's a new recruit, right?"

"I know you know that's not the point, buddy."

The sleep-deprived agent seemed to sink lower into his chair, his shoulders drooping. "There's no need to talk about her. She's made her opinion of everything clear enough." His sullen words barely held any volume.

"I'm afraid it doesn't end there, Yuhan…" The older agent narrowed his brows, unable to read his partner's expression. "Tyru's a stupid idiot, but he actually has a point."

Yuhan scoffed.

"You're letting her get to your head. You're putting yourself in danger...and your family, too. I don't even want to discuss what happened to Old Sweepy's family, on that note," Hiroshu continued severely.

"I'll be fine," the gloomy agent replied dismissively, rolling his eyes.

"But you'd better be fine a little faster, just saying…" Hiroshu retorted. "If I could say so myself, it looks like she's affecting your judgment. It won't be long before people start accusing you of being disloyal. The last thing you need is to be banished from the city and have your parents branded all because of a bad breakup." He took his partner's silence as a chance to continue. "Anyhow…what is it about her that you can't get over? I know that the whole girlfriend thing might've been exciting and new to you and all…but you're the last person I'd expect not to meet the Dai Li's standards. What's going on?" Hiroshu was well aware of Riya's panda lilies and what they meant, but it was common knowledge that all members of the Dai Li placed their highest priorities in the organization. Yuhan certainly was no exception, was he?

The dejected agent seemed to stay in the same still position for years before finally replying. "…Her parents." His voice cracked.

"What parents?" Hiroshu raised an eyebrow.

"Parents that she thought were dead…they're unconverted rebels, here at headquarters. Those parents." Yuhan's hat was pulled low over his eyes.

"Waitwaitwait…that doesn't make any sense." Hiroshu hands waved around randomly in his confusion. "She's born and raised in Ba Sing Se, just like you! Her parents can't be refugees –"

"Yeah, her _dead_ parents aren't refugees," the tired agent cut in miserably. "That's what makes it even better. One of our old agents decided to drop her off at the train station after her family was killed by disease, and a pair of refugees were the only ones who wanted to take her in. They ended up joining the Resistance...and ended up here." As he finished, he threw his head back against the wall, his hat flopping down over his face.

Hiroshu was speechless for a few seconds. "_Oh_. Wow…that sucks." There really wasn't anything else to say at the moment.

"No kidding." There was an uncomfortable moment of silence.

"Well – I had no idea you were dealing with something like _that_," the older agent started again. He sat up in his chair, exhaling. "But…this is going to sound kind of harsh, sorry…you've gotta do what you've gotta do, Yuhan." His partner shuffled slightly, the hat still covering his face. "You know…this actually means that she could end up joining the Resistance."

Yuhan slowly pushed the brim of his hat away from his eyes, eyeing Hiroshu warily. "I know."

His partner watched him carefully. "Then…what will you do if it happens?"

The gloomy agent's shadowy face grew ominous again. "I know my duty, Hiroshu." His tone showed no signs of hesitation.

Hiroshu seemed to sense something else. "Do you?" he asked slowly.

Yuhan glared back with the same dark expression. "Good to know my own partner doubts me. Anyway, I'm going to check on Tao to make sure he knows what he's doing." He stood up and immediately headed for the door. Hiroshu didn't try to stop him. "Thanks for your concern. I'll see you around."

"No problem," Hiroshu replied to the space his friend had occupied only a split second ago. "Be careful, buddy…"

O/O

Riya stood with Mr. Huang among a crowd of their fellow neighbors in an obscure tavern basement. Her eyes held a new and fierce determination.

_Sorry Yuhan, but I can't wait around for you to change your mind. _

"Only the highest political leaders in the Upper Ring know for sure," said a volunteer spokesman, continuing his speech. He stood in front of the other rebels. "But Long Feng being arrested may mean that Avatar Aang has successfully exposed him to King Kuei." Riya watched him curiously. "If that's so, and we're thinking optimistically…that would mean that His Highness has agreed to help end the war," he added. The members of the Conspiracy Resistance all murmured excitedly amongst themselves. "While that would be the best case scenario, it'd only be natural that the Earth Kingdom authority's been too busy attending to military plans to update the city just yet," the spokesman finished, letting out a long breath.

Mr. Huang offered to step forward. "With all this in mind, the new problem appears to be that the Dai Li is converting anyone who tries to talk of Sir Long Feng's arrest," he announced. "Our best guess is that they're maintaining his grip over the city. The longer they keep it up, the longer their system runs in the background…and the longer their prisoners suffer." Riya looked down. "His Highness must be notified of Long Feng's activities as soon as possible," her neighbor continued, keeping an eye on her as he spoke. "The entire city will not only be informed of his removal, but of the war as well. If we can accomplish this, Sir Long Feng will finally lose all support from Ba Sing Se, and King Kuei will seize his rightful authority over the Dai Li. And finally…all of Ba Sing Se will play a part in ending the war."

There were no cheers from the rebels. Only solemn smiles marked their faces. It was a battle they had struggled with for generations, and one that they could still easily lose. The Dai Li's combination of lethal Earthbending and mind-crippling abilities had scarred them all, and they were always hesitant to place their hopes too high. With Avatar Aang's recent assistance, however, they all appeared a little more optimistic than usual.

Mr. Huang stepped back into the crowd, giving Riya a little pat on the shoulder. "You're sure about this?" he asked her softly.

The young woman swallowed hard, nodding briskly before she slowly made her way in front of everyone. The Resistance eyed her with a mixture of sympathy and curiosity. It appeared that they still weren't completely used to Riya being perfectly calm about the whole war conspiracy and brainwashing problem in the city. "A-as you all know, I have access to anywhere in the city," she began nervously. "It won't be easy, but with Avatar Aang and his friends here, I believe we can get through to His Highness." Her voice began to grow in both volume and determination. "My stepparents may not be alive anymore…" The crowd grew quiet. "But I don't want that happening to anyone else who was taken." Mr. Huang watched sadly. "I…I have to thank Yuhan for giving me this opportunity," she continued boldly, causing everyone (who'd been aware of recent events) to cringe a little, "but he's not in any position to help us now. I've learned an awful lot about the Dai Li, and I understand that expecting anything more from him will put him in even more danger than us. It's a risky decision for him, and one that we can't afford to rely on. Wherever his loyalties lie…I have to act now."

No one in the crowd wanted the poor girl to bear all the pressure on her own shoulders, but they had no choice; it was her name on the pass, and hers alone. "Riya…" began an elderly woman. "There are agents everywhere in the city. They'll know who told."

"But as long as she stays out of their sight, she'll be fine," chimed in another woman, whose face bore a scar that clearly displayed her defiance of the dark organization. "She'll just have to be careful, that's all." She sighed. "Still, I wouldn't want to put you in so much danger, Riya. Also…what if the pass doesn't work anymore?"

"There's a low chance of running into the same agents that accepted my pass last time," Riya replied. "Besides, if there's anything I know about the Dai Li, it's that they'll never break their rules." She was silent for a moment. "Yuhan's authority forces them to comply with the pass's benefits. They won't disobey." A grave smile stretched across her face. "And…I have enough faith to believe Yuhan didn't give them any special instructions not to accept it."

Many of the humble Lower Ring residents, including Mr. Huang, looked ready to protest because of the terrible risks, but they could see that the girl had clearly made her decision. They all knew her well enough to know that there was no changing it.

"In that case…" Mr. Huang finally spoke up again. "If you manage to come into contact with Avatar Aang, Katara and Sokka of the Water Tribe, Toph Beifong, or King Kuei himself…things may finally change for our city." The anxiety that swept the room was smoldering as Riya nodded solemnly.

"We wish you the best of luck, Riya…Be careful."

O/O

Yuhan never went to check on Tao at all. He was far above the old tomb by now, watching the gloomy night sky aimlessly. The grass beneath his back was course and itchy, and the glow of the moon was a little too bright for his liking, but he didn't really care.

At the very least, one of the perks of Long Feng being in prison was that he'd never catch his agents laying around the agrarians fields without permission.

The young Peace Orator gladly made use of this small freedom tonight, unable to fall asleep despite his terrible condition. His thoughts floated around like the hazy clouds obscuring some the stars above. He preferred not to think, anyway. Thinking was tiring. Thinking was bad. Thinking wouldn't get him anywhere in the organization. Especially when thinking was related to –

The sudden sound of footsteps caught Yuhan's attention immediately, and he quickly sat up. It was more of a very faint vibration in the ground from the distance, but he'd felt it nonetheless as he was lying down. He immediately began to conjure up excuses about what he was doing out here, half-expecting the intruder to be some paranoid agent…but something inside him told him that it was someone much, much worse.

Yuhan recognized the shadowy figure long before it had even gone halfway up the hill he sat upon, just from its familiar movements. He felt his head dropping involuntarily, his hat hanging so low that the bright green tassels cascaded over the front. His whole body grew numb.

He felt the figure pause abruptly when it came close enough to recognize him too. "…Yuhan?" Her voice sounded almost disbelieving.

The painful silence stretched on and on, but it eventually became too much for him to bear. "Hey…Riya…" he mumbled at last. He couldn't stop staring at the ground, even when he tried to lift his head to look at her.

She stood there for quite some time before slowly picking up her pace. The grass rustled softly as she took a seat a few feet away from him at the top of the hill. "Do…do you…come here often?" she decided to ask, rather faintly.

"Well…no. Not really. You…?"

"Recently. A lot."

The two continued to sit like that, close yet too far. The small patch of grass between them seemed to mark some kind of impenetrable barrier. Yuhan finally forced himself to move, turning his head very stiffly against his will to glance down at her. Riya sensed the notion, returning it as well.

Both of them seemed to have planned something to say, but it became lost immediately when they looked into each other's unrecognizable faces. His eyes had practically lost their color and were only staying open by a miracle, and someone could've easily mistaken him for a ghost tonight. Her eyes had long lost their shine, and grief had taken its toll over her thin and frail body.

They'd made each other suffer.

Yuhan's lifeless eyes slowly shut for a moment as he turned his face away. "I don't want to cause you anymore trouble by staying here. I guess I should go."

"No, it's okay…" Riya scooted a little closer, though the grass barrier remained strong. The agent didn't move a muscle. "You know…I…I really do understand why you do what you do."

Yuhan gazed back at her, his expression showing very faint signs of confusion. "I thought you already understood," he replied slowly. "You know…from that other time. And…you don't agree."

"There's more than that," Riya responded quietly. "I mean…you're right…I don't agree. But I can't blame you…" She fiddled with the folds of her sleeve as she struggled to grow accustomed to addressing his dejected face. "You've been chosen to do this ever since – ever since before you met me." The agent's eyes widened a little. "They didn't tell you until later, but they've always looked after you, always led you to follow this path. A-am I right?"

Yuhan nodded silently after a few moments. Well...anything was possible these days. He decided not to think too much about how she came across that information. Indeed, the Dai Li had planned his entry as soon as his Earthbending talent was noticeable…which was pretty early.

"Anyway, I shouldn't have been so shocked about your beliefs…" Riya continued. "They've influenced you for so long, and since we were close back then…they influenced me too." She miraculously managed to laugh slightly. "It's a no wonder I thought so highly of them. They had to create a perfect image for you…and I was with you most of the time."

The tired agent focused his gaze on her a little more, his eyes softening. "Yeah…I guess so, huh?"

Riya nodded soundlessly as she folded her arms over her knees. "So anyway…I suppose I'll have to mention it sooner or later, but…" She took in a deep, shaky breath. "Did my stepparents...go peacefully?"

Yuhan's face twisted in pain for a brief moment. Watching him, so did Riya's. "Your stepparents…" he began with great difficulty. "They…er…don't like me…"

The young woman had to take a few moments to realize what his statement had just implied. "They 'don't' like you? As in they currently…don't like you?" she asked incredulously.

"Um…yeah?" The realization finally hit him as well. "Wait…you still think they're dead?" One look at her bewildered face told him the answer. "…Oh."

Riya took several long breaths in order to keep herself calm. "_Well_. That's something I'll have to get used to…" She exhaled sharply. "They…um…didn't mention me by any chance…did they?"

"Actually…they kind of did." Yuhan seemed to squirm from the terrible awkwardness of the situation. "I can see that they care a lot about you…and that they hate me. Also a lot."

He feared a sudden explosion from her any time now, but it never came. A new light seemed to fill her eyes, but they grew so sad at the same time. "I should apologize, then…" Riya started slowly. "I was still having some trouble believing that you didn't, you know…"

The words escaped his mouth before he even realized what he was saying. "There's no need to. What I'm doing these days isn't much better…"

It was only because Riya knew how to read his eyes too well that she didn't immediately conclude he was lying. Though it was unfortunately in his nature to be an excellent liar, there was no denying these rare moments in which she could see all the pain and undisguised emotion flashing across those dark green irises. It was unnoticeable to anyone besides her. "Yuhan...?" she almost gasped.

_His mind is either occupied by his devotion to the Dai Li…or his devotion to you. _

The emerald eyes clouded over again. The young agent suddenly frowned, as if he didn't know exactly where his statement had even come from. "Oh – I mean...nothing. I forgot what I was even thinking about. Sorry. I'm tired," he quickly responded. What _was_ he thinking? …Nono, thinking was bad. He was too tired.

Riya's face dropped immediately. "I-it's alright," she replied softly. "Well…it's getting late. I should go. Thanks for letting me know…about my stepparents." She swiftly stood up, dusting off her skirt and turning her back.

Yuhan looked over at her again, a sudden pang shooting through his chest. Despite everything, it was still painful to watch her leave. A horrible realization suddenly froze up his lungs with dread. Rising to his feet, he involuntarily called out. "Riya."

She paused.

"Don't try anything…please. You should know what could happen." He forced his way towards her, breaking the grass barrier at last. She went completely still. "Don't put yourself in that situation…I don't want – just…please…"

The desolate, almost desperate way in which the last word carried itself through the air caused her to face him one last time. "But you won't give me back my stepparents…will you?" she asked finally, her eyes downcast.

The grief-stricken agent stood before her, his eyes tortured by the agony of the war within him. He couldn't let her go…but…but… "I – I can't, Riya."

Just looking into his anguished face as he spoke the excruciating words made her want to burst into tears. "I know you can't, Yuhan…" she whispered feebly, shakily lifting a hand to cup the side of his face. His eyes squeezed shut, as if the feel of her gentle fingers burned his skin. "You have too much at stake. You need to take care of your family, and yourself. But I…I've got nothing to lose. I have to try." The stone plates covering his fingers automatically shifted out of the way as she lowered her hand, grasping his tightly. His sunken eyes opened to take in every detail of her sullen, yet still beautiful face. "I'll see you again, Yuhan. Don't look at me like that." She smiled through her glossy hazel eyes.

She released his hand quickly, pacing down the hill before he could see any tears.

"Riya…" he called softly, knowing that she was too far to hear him by now. He turned around sharply, his arms dropping at his sides. As he clenched his fists, the ground seemed to follow his motions, rumbling dangerously.

* * *

><p>Hope y'all liked the chapter!<p>

Anyway, I felt the need to do this because KimberlyT mentioned it to me last chapter, with her wonderfully insightful comments...

*YUHAN AND RIYA'S CHILDHOOD HISTORY LESSON!*

Bending isn't something you'd find everywhere in the Earth Kingdom, so Riya being outcasted because of her inability to Earthbend might seem a little strange. However, the canon storyline doesn't really explain well how Dai Li agents are chosen, so I imagined the kind of environment that a potential agent would arise from. The way I see it, Ba Sing Se itself is its own small country with very diverse communities, kind of like NY in our day. I thought it was natural that some communities might contain more Earthbenders than others, and in this case, Riya was unlucky enough to be born into a neighborhood packed with Earthbending children. The neighborhood is a tiny section of the Lower Ring, so Earthbenders are still overall uncommon in Ba Sing Se, but I figured that it's from areas like these that the Dai Li are likely to find more members.

As for the actual history: Yuhan's old community was jammed with Earthbenders because they traveled there as a group generations ago as workers looking for better jobs in Ba Sing Se. They were able to make a living as good construction workers because of their bending. Their ancestry, therefore, still carries on the bending ability pretty consistently, but communities grow, and so do their members. Every once in a while, a nonbending family is bound to move in. Riya's family was a common case. Most new community members came from marriages, so the bending children all had at least one bender parent as well. But whole non-bender families moving in thing was a little more rare. Though she can't have been the only non-bender kid, she was still too young to be able to explore the entire community to seek them out anyway (the Lower Ring is full of crime!) So the kids that she _did _see were the common, soccer-obsessed Earthbenders. Hence the troubles.

Ahem. If you managed to last through that lecture, thanks for bearing with me! Just wanted to clarify those little details ^^ I know my character origins pret-tay well, lol!


	14. Judgment

Hey again!

...I really don't know how to describe my feelings about this chapter. It's probably the center of the whole plot ^^ I've known this chapter was going to happen before I even knew what Yuhan or Riya's names were going to be. It's the first thing I planned in the whole story o_o so YEAH, I've kind of been waiting for this xD

Anyway, I consulted MasterTearbender - _ahem_ MasterFirebender84 to help me with some of the intense elements in this chapter, and I must give a gracious thank you to him for that 8D

I worked pretty hard on this one. Hope you guys like it! :)

* * *

><p>"<em>You are…you're an ally of the Earth King, right? And the Avatar?" Shabby clothes, unimpressive vocabulary, and gullibility written across her entire mediocre face…a dirty peasant.<em>

"_I am. We traveled here from Kyoshi Island to assist His Highness. What brings you here? You seem a little…disturbed." It looks like she expects to be murdered any second, in fact._

"_I-I don't have much time! They'll see me! Please, take this!" _

_So this didn't turn out to be such waste of time, after all. "They…? Who are 'they'?" _

"_Th – Li, Dai Li! Please, I need His Highness to see this message as soon as possible! I…(gasp!) I'm sorry – I have to go! Please…!" The very sight of one of them has struck terror through her every bone. Interesting. _

"_I will gladly see to it that the Earth King receives this information immediately. There's no need for you to fret." I suppose it won't hurt to let her return happily to whatever little patch of dirt she came from. _

"_Thank you so much! I-I'll always appreciate it – Goodbye! Sorry for troubling you!" _

"_Oh, it is my _pleasure_. Have a lovely afternoon." _

_The scroll is hardly legible because of its annoyingly rushed and half-smeared characters, but it's still manageable nonetheless._

_Tyranny, secret prisons, and a stubborn loyalty to their leader…interesting. Well, who am I to take back my word? His Royal Embarrassment will hear enough. _

_Just enough. _

…

The dark, gloomy prison complex below the Royal Palace was so silent that the echoes of the occasional water droplets hitting the floor were deafening.

_The stupid Earth King's completely lost it! He's sent Royal Guards all over the blasted city with pamphlets about Long Feng Sir's arrest! What in the name of all Spirits did we do incorrectly? This is insane! _

The Cultural Minister stood with his back turned, and his hands were clasped a little too tightly behind his back as he faced the metal wall. His eyes were shadowy and horribly expressionless, though his narrow brows pressed down upon their lids ever so slightly.

_Half of the Palace doesn't even trust the Dai Li right now! We can't rely on our converted political officials for long at this rate. How is this happening? Do we have a bloody traitor? _

Nothing could ease the deep and terrifying silence, even when a second prisoner began to hack and cough in the distance. Long Feng made sure to drag it for years and years before he finally spoke his judgment. His monotonous voice drifted painfully slow across the room as he opened his mouth. "I do not believe you need to be told of the severity of your mistakes…Yuhan."

The emerald-robed figure behind him had been bowing low to the ground this entire time, with the brim of his hat almost touching the cold floor. He didn't dare to utter a word. Anyone would've taken his stillness for a corpse in the darkened cell.

_It could've been one of those Kyoshi Warriors. They've always seemed pretty shady, and we can't trust them. Send more agents to monitor them. _

Long Feng still didn't bother turning around to address his agent. "I am still pondering how to describe my disappointment with your performance. For an individual as yourself to behave so dishonorably…"

The young Orator made no response, though one of his supporting arms started to quiver slightly. Painful memories of his parents began to cloud his vision all at once. _Run_, he desperately told their silent images, as if his words would actually reach them.

_Cancel the interrogation of the Kyoshi Warriors. Our sources within the Palace have reported that King Kuei received the information from an anonymous letter. Apparently the Water Tribe girl convinced him to take action after seeing it._

"I will not elaborate my opinions further," continued the Cultural Minster, his tone growing slightly in volume. "You already know the extent of your failures, as well as their consequences."

The suffocating silence took hold of the little cell once more. It stretched on for an eternity until the young agent was forced to reply, thus creating the humiliating effect that his leader intended. "I…deserve each and every punishment you wish upon me…sir…"

_Fortunately, the only thing the letter mentioned was our untrustworthiness and the secrecy of Long Feng Sir's arrest – and that it was written by a 'concerned Lower Ring citizen.' Couldn't have been any Kyoshi Warrior, in that case. Seems like we've got work to do. _

"Naturally," Long Feng agreed, a little too coolly. "However, given your commitment to the Dai Li for the past seven years…I suppose it is appropriate to question your motivation for such thoughtlessness."

_Joo Dees! You have all been called here today for a very important task. _

_We are more than happy to serve the Dai Li, in the most wonderful of cities._

"I…I…" Yuhan had never remembered being so frightened in his life. He was officially a failure of an agent. Everything was over. "I am…unable to explain myself…" he continued bleakly. It was the truth, after all. "It is not in my ability…to describe such disgraceful actions. I can only apologize, and…will expect no mercy."

_Our agents cannot recall fine details. Thus, we rely on your memory for this. Have you, Joo Dees, recently interacted with any misplaced citizens in the Upper Ring? We're looking for a Lower Ring resident, to be precise. If this applies to _any_ of you, speak now! _

_Your Excellency, I am deeply honored to offer my assistance. I have met with such an individual in the East shopping complex. A female. _

_Describe her. _

Long Feng continued to inspect the metal wall before him with great interest, as the young Orator continued to keep his face inches from the ground. "Fortunately…" he finally began again. "Your fellow agents have put on a very moving display of loyalty to the Earth King. Though his trust in the Dai Li still wavers, but his time on the throne will come to an end soon enough. The consequences of your actions are, at the very least…somewhat manageable." As the Minister expected, the figure behind him remained silent.

_Do you have any knowledge of how she traveled to the Upper Ring without permission? _

_She had permission, sir. A city pass – granted by Agent Yuhan Tsen. _

The Cultural Minister slowly began to stroke his beard, marking his first real movements since the start of the meeting. "So…Riya of the Lower Ring, was it?"

Yuhan displayed his first motions as well. His bow grew even stiffer, and each of his muscles had become so tense that his entire body was visibly shaking. Long Feng decided to turn around at last, and he watched with the slightest hint of amusement gleaming in his shadowy eyes.

O/O

Mr. Huang examined the ornate parchment for the hundredth time. No prisoners. It provided several details of Long Feng's arrest, as well as the Dai Li's submission to the Earth King. It even contained a personal statement from His Highness regarding what a disgrace his former advisor was to the entire Earth Kingdom…but no prisoners.

The middle-aged man decided to focus his attention on Riya, who needed it most at the moment. She shifted about in her kitchen chair across from him several times, agitatedly scanning each and every character within the pamphlet to make sure she hadn't missed something.

"Riya," he sighed. "You should really -"

"_I know,_" she interrupted dismissively. "Just – let me see…"

"You're not going to –"

"_I know! _Just…hold on…"

As he watched, Mr. Huang wistfully questioned the Spirits for placing such terrible burdens on someone so young and undeserving. He'd come close to losing his beloved son, and that alone almost drove him to insanity. He'd felt his soul being torn apart every time he'd had to look into Shen's fading eyes. Yet, his child had almost literally come back to life in a matter of days. The poor girl sitting in front of him, on the other hand…

"Did he even read half of the stupid message?" Riya screeched, finally slapping the paper onto the table. "Are hundreds of dying prisoners a _trivial _matter to him?"

"He's…he's a very busy man," her neighbor tried to explain as convincingly as possible. "It does say that he's planning on involving the city in the war, after all. So he probably didn't have much time to write anything. I hear that Ms. Katara is collaborating with the Council of Five."

"But…the prisoners…" Riya's words seem to crumble away into the heavy air. Her eyes gazed longingly beyond the windowsill, as if trying to pinpoint the location of her stepparents somewhere in the shadowy horizon.

"There's no way he can ignore something _that_ important, Riya," Mr. Huang hastily reassured her. "Did you see how many things he listed in his rant against the Dai Li? He can't possibly cover every single one of their crimes – there's too many of them!" he added with a nervous laugh.

Instead of replying, the anxious young woman began to go through every little detail of her journey to the Upper Ring – Mr. Huang could tell just by looking at her distant expression. "You did nothing wrong, Riya…" he told her gently. "It was so brave of you, and we're all just grateful you weren't seen by one of them."

"Did I give the scroll to the wrong person…?" Riya wondered out loud, apparently hearing nothing he'd just said.

Her neighbor replied a little louder this time to get her attention. "You're thinking too much about this!" She flicked her restless eyes in his direction. "The Kyoshi Warriors are well-known as supporters and close companions of Avatar Aang's group. I even hear rumors of some romantic involvement at times. You're just worrying too much." The girl still appeared too busy searching her memory for a mistake. "You did more than enough, Riya…" Mr. Huang continued hopelessly. "This is further than we've ever progressed in generations!"

Only the noises of some chirping crickets outside could be heard for a few seconds. "Sorry, Mr. Huang…" the young woman replied quietly. She leaned over on an elbow and began to examine the night sky outside once again. "I just – I just wanted to see them again…" As she finished, her neighbor couldn't bear looking at her dejected face for long.

"…I know."

O/O

Though the Cultural Minister seemed to take great interest in watching his agent struggle to compose himself, he eventually continued his degrading speech. He held open a roll of files, which had been hastily prepared by some of the Dai Li's information specialists; he'd kept it ready in his sleeve, in fact. "19 years of age, orphaned at age 7, and a permanent resident of the Lower Ring…" he mused, loud enough for Yuhan to hear clearly. "And, most notably…a strong connection to the Resistance."

Long Feng examined the statue-like figure on the ground some more, which still hadn't changed positions this entire time. "It has come to my attention," he began slowly, "that this young woman's name is marked within your profile as well." Yuhan cringed a little. "A long-term acquaintance, it seems...am I correct?"

The Minister stared down hard at his agent when there was no reply. After a few more seconds, he seemed to reach a decision. "You may rise," declared the leader.

Finally lifting himself from the ground, Yuhan winced slightly from the pain of his aching joints, which had been locked rigidly for what seemed like the past thousand years. He kept his eyes low as he slowly balanced himself.

The Grand Secretariat observed him carefully. "Yuhan, would you care to refresh my memory of the standard penalties for disloyalty?" he asked casually, with a mock pretense of curiosity.

The young agent forced himself to speak, though the empty words seemed to fall one by one from his lips. "Disloyal agents are banished immediately from Ba Sing Se…and all Earthbending abilities are crippled permanently by physical means." His leader slowly nodded along, seeming to exaggerate his attentiveness. "Any family members are banned from following, are branded as traitors…and are transferred to the underground supply production for a lifelong repayment of debt to the Dai Li," Yuhan finally finished with much difficulty.

Ironically enough, a very faint (but rather smirk-like) smile began to form upon the Cultural Minister's face. "Completely identical to the policy manual, as expected…" he remarked. "You've always had a talent for recitations, after all."

Yuhan had no clue where the lecture was even going by now…but he was probably condemned for eternity, anyway. He decided to keep his mouth shut by default.

"It would be a shame to waste that talent, I must say…" Long Feng continued casually, stroking his chin in thought once more. "Furthermore, your actions have not reflected treachery, by definition. Just carelessness."

The agent gave up trying to understand his leader's motives as he listened glumly.

"Perhaps the penalties you listed are not suited for these circumstances..." The Grand Secretariat gazed over with a strangely quizzical expression. "You are still loyal to the Dai Li, I presume?"

To suggest such lenient measures…was he mocking him now? "Y-yes, sir."

"I would not doubt it either," agreed his leader, his tone beginning to reveal some horrible conclusion. Yuhan swallowed. "In light of your mistakes, however…I think it best to reinforce that loyalty. A little confirmation, that is."

"…Sir?"

"Your actions are in no way acceptable, and they almost cost us control of the city," said Long Feng, causing Yuhan to hang his head once more. "But the situation is still being handled somewhat efficiently…and you are still a devoted and highly talented Peace Orator."

There was something about the pattern in which his leader kept mentioning conversions that was beginning to disturb the young agent. He wasn't sure exactly what, yet – only that Long Feng had to stop mentioning it. _Now_.

"In light of all this, I am willing to allow you an opportunity to remain in the Dai Li without any penalty. This includes your family as well."

That was it. There was no way in all of Koh's Realm that Long Feng would _ever _pardon any mistakes. Not unless he had an equally horrible alternative, equally tormenting…

"You will carry on as you've always done, after you complete one special conversion – just one. Seeing how familiar you are with the system, I'm fairly certain it should not be much of a task."

…No.

Yuhan's hearing was suddenly reduced to a hollow ring, with each word clattering and echoing deafeningly throughout his eardrums. He wished he hadn't realized what was coming next. In fact, he wished that the ground would swallow him up and kill him so that he wouldn't have to hear what was coming next.

"Regarding this long-term acquaintance of yours, Riya..." Her name sounded so awful coming from his mouth. "A number of your fellow agents have commented on her reputation as an 'attractive' and even 'charming' girl…all of which you're aware of, I'm sure."

The agent's face grew white.

"Assuming that these rumors are true," his leader continued candidly, "the young woman would make a fine Joo Dee…wouldn't you agree, Yuhan?"

All of the minor noises around the prison complex faded to nothing. The darkness of the room swallowed everything around them into its silent vacuum. The world went still.

"S-sir…" The young Orator's hands began to tremble at his sides as he stared back, his eyes failing to hide their quickly growing dismay.

"You find fault in my logic, Yuhan?" Long Feng simply questioned once more. "She fits all of the characteristics perfectly, does she not? Our guides must reflect the beauty of our city through themselves; they must be appealing to the eye, pleasant, amiable…"

His speech was continually distorted as soon as it reached Yuhan's ears. The agent stood rooted to his spot, his practically lifeless body somehow holding itself up. No matter what his leader spoke, all of the words seemed to arrange themselves into two agonizing combinations that rang numbly through every corner of his aching head. _Riya…a fine Joo Dee…Riya…a fine Joo Dee…Riya…_

The two names were not supposed to be in the same sentence. The two names were never meant to be anywhere near each other – _ever_. Yet, they continually paired up as they echoed mercilessly through his mind, slowly chipping away his sanity as they pierced his ears again and again…

"_Yuhan_."

Long Feng had spoken his name so sharply that the agent was wrenched forcefully from his personal realm of torment. Yuhan forgot how to speak for a few seconds, as his mind frantically regained its grip on reality. No words came out.

The Cultural Minister watched with his cunning green eyes. His shaken agent hardly noticed as he took in a long, somewhat exaggerated breath. "Yuhan…I can see that you're making no efforts to hide your dissatisfaction with my decision." The young Orator's slightly crazed eyes did their best to focus on him. "Would you care to state the penalties of a purposely failed conversion?"

No answer.

"Perhaps I should specify that I've just given you an order, Yuhan."

The agent's voice still wavered even after his first two attempts. "…Execution. Sir. O-of the failed rebel."

"Good. I was worried that you'd forgotten for a moment."

O/O

Mr. Huang and some supporting neighbors kept Riya company in her little house for the majority of the evening. She seemed a little better off as they all shared stories with her and laughed, but anyone could see that her disappointment with the Earth King kept her continually restless.

It eventually grew late enough so that Mr. Huang was the only one remaining with her. She sat quietly at her kitchen table once again, seeming to take great interest in the stars outside her window.

"So the scroll you gave contained no information whatsoever about its sender, right?" he asked, probably the hundredth time.

"You were one of the ones who wrote it!" Riya laughed back. "I looked, and it didn't. You're the one worrying now!" Even so, her hazel eyes had taken on a slightly remorseful appearance since her return, as if she wanted to take in every detail of the world around her.

"My family could stay with you tonight," her neighbor continued, failing to hide the concern from his voice. "O-or you could always come over, and…"

"Thank you…but it's all okay, Mr. Huang. Nothing's happened for the past three days…we're all just waiting now. I'll be fine." She smiled sadly.

The man looked painfully into her eyes, knowing that she preferred to stay alone in order to keep anyone else out of danger if something were to happen. "Riya…w-when your stepparents left, we all vowed to look after you, to be there for you, and -"

"Please don't talk like that," the young woman said softly. "Nothing's happened. They would've come here already if they knew. You should go home before Shen gets too sleepy for his bedtime story. Tell him I said hi."

Her neighbor gave a dejected sigh. "Al…alright, Riya. Good night."

As her door closed behind him, he added quietly, "Be safe..."

O/O

Long Feng allowed the silence to stretch long enough for Yuhan to absorb each and every detail of the harsh reality, and he finally spoke again once the young agent's eyes clearly reflected the utterly trapped and helpless soul within them. "You now hold several negative feelings towards me, I presume…" began the Minister, his tone slowly taking on a different approach.

Yuhan was supposed to deny the statement, but the only sound that escaped his throat was something of a choke.

"Before you begin your conversion, however, allow me to share some of my own sentiments on the matter. You may benefit from them."

Long Feng offering his sentiments? Ha, that almost made him sound like a compassionate man for a moment. Ha…ha…

The young agent's eyes were beginning to appear a little demented – a detail that didn't escape his leader's notice. However, the Minister's tone only continued to grow as unusual as his dialogue. "Contrary to what you may believe, my decision was not made primarily for your discomfort, Yuhan."

…Ha!

"You must look at the situation logically," Long Feng continued, his expression almost resembling regret – 'almost' being the way it seemed rather forced. "Our female culprit is a highly dangerous rebel, and she's proven herself capable of upsetting the system of our entire organization. Such an individual cannot be left unchecked, do you understand?"

The familiarity of the words seemed to scorch through his conscience. Yuhan had spoken them himself, countless times in countless variations. His head felt like it would split open.

"Rebels who can cause disruptions as severe as hers have, no doubt, the most stubborn of minds," the Cultural Minister continued sternly. "It is wisest to utilize the talents of those who can effectively suppress such dangerous ambitions – individuals as yourself. You have made some poor decisions, Yuhan…but you are needed."

Yuhan's response almost made it past his throat, but it quickly trailed away. Though he still felt like sinking forever into the ground, a chord had surprisingly been struck somewhere within the young agent.

_Duty. What is your duty? _

It was a chord that the Dai Li had crafted during Yuhan's entire lifetime, and one that Long Feng had perfected in each of his agents. "Have you ever wondered why you are gifted in recitation?" asked the Minister.

Such a question only further troubled the young Orator, and he only looked up somberly in response.

His leader's face began to grow strangely sympathetic. "We have known you longer than you have known yourself, Yuhan…" The room was strangely silent as the agent stared back. "I can still clearly recall those first few notes presented to me by your scouts," continued Long Feng, his eyes growing distant. "Lower Ring, 2nd Division. Age: 4. Reflects rapid progression of Earthbending, with superior advantage over opponents…" He glanced over at Yuhan, as if checking for some behavioral sign. "Prominent characteristics include respectfulness, fidelity, remarkable obedience, and…" The sudden pause caused the agent to listen a little more curiously. Long Feng slowly smiled as he finished his sentence. "…Empathy."

Yuhan found himself unable to describe the mixture of feelings within him. His leader's uncharacteristic and downright odd choice of words had left him baffled.

"Indeed, empathy has always been a recurring element within your profile, accompanying the other appropriate traits for the Dai Li," the Cultural Minister continued smoothly. "But I noticed that it held an unusual - _significance_ in your case. And…I immediately knew that you would excel as an Orator."

The continuous inflow of his leader's bizarre revelations was becoming too much for the young agent to process all at once as he listened, blinking.

"Empathy is the key to mastering the minds of others. You can delve into one's innermost fears, hopes, ambitions, – and know precisely how to shut them down," Long Feng stated, his cunning eyes gleaming. "You have a thorough understanding of peoples' emotions, their very being…and because of that, you are unsurpassed in the conversion chamber."

Yuhan's head was beginning to feel faint. He simply stood there in the eerie silence, which the Minister seemed to enjoy.

"Empathy, however, is a double-edged sword," Long Feng began again, his eyes slightly reflecting some kind of remorse. "It places one at high risk of becoming attached to his subjects."

…Oh. So that's where he was headed all along.

"Even so, I had high hopes for you as an agent," continued the Minister, lifting his hands slightly to emphasize the unfortunate turn of events. "It is still in my belief that I was not mistaken, either. Your records have shown no influence whatsoever from each of your converted rebels." He gave a long and heavy sigh. "It is truly regrettable that one simple peasant girl should change that now."

_Simple? _All of Yuhan's conflicting feelings about failing to carry out his duty suddenly came to screeching halt.

Long Feng narrowed his dark eyes a bit as his agent visibly flinched. "Of course, I've taken into account the complications of your long-standing companionship with the young woman," he began grimly. "It is only natural that she affects you more, having been familiar to you for so many years…"

The young Orator gave a single, very stiff nod as he looked away.

"With this in mind, I'm certain that she understands your position in the Dai Li by now," remarked the Secretariat, his eyebrows furrowing even more. "Which is why it is plain to me…that she does not deserve your empathy."

Yuhan appeared to be caught completely off-guard, and he gawked back at his leader. "I…Si-sir…I'm sorry?" he sputtered.

"From what I've been told, you display a great deal of compassion towards the girl, to the point of hampering your logic," Long Feng continued icily. "Has it not occurred to you that she fails to do the same?" His frown only grew deeper at his agent's flabbergasted expression. "She knows your duty to the organization. She knows your obligation to the city. Because of her connection to you, she should understand the reason we exist – that peace must be _created, _and that people will choose war if left alone. Her eyes have never seen the horrors of battle, nor the scars that the Fire Nation leaves in its path, all due to _your _hard work…yet, here we are. If this is her way of showing appreciation, then please explain it to me, by all means."

The Cultural Minister's lips curved ever so slightly into a smirk as his agent's demeanor began to grow cold and solemn. "I trusted her as a companion…" Yuhan began at last. "She understood my situation, as well as my efforts to uphold the balance within this city…and selfishly misused her privileges nonetheless." His dark green eyes seemed to flare from the realization and fury of betrayal. "I offered my generosity to the wrong person. It is only through your mercy that I may still retain my honor in the Dai Li. You are…correct, sir," he finished firmly.

A satisfactory smile stretched wide across his leader's face. "I'm glad that you have come to understand the situation. Your loyalty is unwavering, as expected." Yuhan was silent as he gazed back solemnly. "To be realistic, however, you may still hesitate to sever such a significant connection. Do you require any assistance in the conversion chamber, Yuhan?" Though he'd finished his job here, Long Feng still made sure to relish the momentary shudder of pain that swept over his agent.

The Peace Orator took a long, heavy breath that almost burst his lungs. "I cannot deny that it will be difficult for me, sir. But I understand why it must be done, and I hold no regrets. I have no need for assistance. You will not be disappointed."

"I certainly don't expect to," replied Long Feng, with a smirk still playing on his lips. "You are dismissed."

Yuhan bowed obediently as the warden waiting outside picked up the cue and reopened the cell at last.

Several other agents watched curiously as Long Feng's most talented Peace Orator strode casually back into headquarters, making his way back into his dorm with clearly no intention of leaving the city whatsoever.

As soon as he slid the door shut behind him, however, the young agent staggered across the room and almost didn't make it to his bed before his legs gave away. His face collapsed into his stony palms as he leaned over onto his elbows, his fingernails digging so deep that some of his skin scraped beneath them.

_I'm so sorry, Riya…_

He hated himself for dishonoring her with his callous words. He hated himself for being unable to declare to the world how much he cherished her, and how much he deserved to die for what he was about to do. To Koh's Realm with duty!

But Long Feng was correct. Yuhan was blessed and cursed with empathy – and he had enough of it to fool his own leader. He'd seen how planned and artificial the man's 'sentiments' were. It was only because of his somehow irreplaceable brainwashing abilities that he hadn't been banished at once. He knew that his leader only wanted to ensure his cooperation for any future problems...as well as what would've happened if he'd disagreed. He knew what he had to say, and how to say it…thus effectively preventing the Minister from planning anything worse for Riya.

It was the most he could do.

O/O

Hiroshu wondered, very faintly, what it looked like outside. That was always the annoying thing about the Dai Li's absolute need for a "super secret headquarters." It wouldn't have been so bad if they'd just brighten up the blasted place – literally! He already couldn't enjoy the lovely breeze outside…they really didn't have to rub it in his face with all the creepy Joo Dees smiling at him from the shadows every time he forced himself to come back.

Speaking of Joo Dees… "(Sigh) I know you're in there, buddy."

He'd been leaning against the wall outside the kid's room for…he glanced at the hourglass resting on a post at the end of the hall. _30 minutes? _Dear Spirits, had it really been that long? "_Yuhan, _things are only going to get worse if you sit there forever," he added loudly.

Of course, there was no reaction whatsoever.

"I agree that this freaking sucks, alright?" Hiroshu threw in irritably. "But you're lucky – yeah, _lucky_ that no one's getting their arms broken forever or having their parents turned into slaves because of the whole incident. That's going to change if you don't get out of there now! You've got an order, kid -"

The older agent almost took a step backwards when an icy voice suddenly shot back its response. "_I'm going to take care of it soon, okay? You can go annoy someone else now." _

"Who ever said I wanted to annoy you?" Hiroshu replied innocently. He suddenly felt a chilling, ominous air slowly drifting from inside the room. His voice began to take on a severe tone as he continued. "I'm here 'cause I know you're not going to do it."

"…_Really?" _

Hiroshu jumped back in surprise when Yuhan's door flew straight out of its frame, slamming loudly against the other side of the narrow hall. The Peace Orator slowly emerged from his room as the ground indented beneath his feet, feet step by step. His face was covered so much by the dark brim of his hat that Hiroshu couldn't even see his nose. Only his unnaturally downturned lips were visible as he turned stiffly towards the older agent. "_Watch me." _

Yuhan stalked away down the green-lit hallway. Hiroshu hastily shoved the broken door back into its frame, but he quickly managed to catch up right as his partner turned the corner. "As you wish!" he replied, a little too cheerily. "I'll go with you."

The sleep-deprived agent looked like he was seriously struggling to keep himself from murdering his partner right at that moment. Hiroshu, however, forced himself to stand his ground nevertheless. The kid would need it. "You know what you have to do…but you won't be able to it on your own," he said softly. "Long Feng wants to keep you in the organization, but he's not going to take any risks. Everyone's watching to see if you fail." He could somehow tell that Yuhan was glaring at him even without being able to see it. "If your feelings end up making you do something crazy again, you'll end up getting the whole penalty package of being disloyal," he continued, sighing. "And…you'll lose her, too. You'll lose everything."

It was even worse than Hiroshu had imagined. His partner finally looked him in the eye as the brim of his hat rose away to reveal the horrible, broken up mess beneath. "I know that..." It was all Yuhan could manage to say before his head sharply dropped back down, followed by a similar rumble in the ground beneath.

Hiroshu watched the crack continue to shoot itself across the floor, down to the very end of the hallway. He'd never seen his partner lose it so badly before. A part of him almost automatically chastised Yuhan for being so unreasonable about his duties…yet, something began to ache inside when he looked back over at the kid, who's right hand had slipped beneath its sleeve. Its fingers were curled tightly around a little band of leather cords.

The irony was just so sad. Seeing Yuhan gripping his bracelet as if it kept him sane, moments before he'd have to take away the sanity of its giver…Even Hiroshu had to agree that it was just cruel, too cruel… "Well, it wouldn't hurt to make sure you don't mess this up," he quietly began again. "I don't want you being thrown out of the city, buddy. I'll go crazy if they stick me with some old geezer partner!"

The Peace Orator choked out a small, broken laugh. "I'd actually like to see that…but thanks, Hiroshu…"

"Anytime!" replied the older agent, clapping a hand onto his partner's shoulder. His tone came out wimpier than he would've liked. "Alright, then…let's head out."

O/O

The worst of nights was always the most beautiful of nights. Yuhan hated the sky for that. A full moon glowed brightly in the star-speckled sky, visibly showing off every detail of its mysterious grey shapes. The slight, cool breeze felt perfect.

_Perfectly horrible, _the young agent thought bitterly. His partner walking alongside him observed his vile attitude towards everything around them. Hiroshu looked up at the sky for a moment as well – and sighed after realizing how similar it looked to a certain night on the Outer Wall.

The shabby community floated past Yuhan's eyes in a long, continuous grey blur as they drew closer and closer to her home. No one stirred this late at night, and the two agents silently made their way through the barren streets. Yuhan unconsciously came to a stop when they'd reached about twenty feet from their destination.

"Come on, now…" Hiroshu whispered, giving his partner's back a slight push. They painfully drew closer and closer. "S-so where's the best spot?" he asked, a bit waveringly.

Yuhan stepped ahead, throwing out an arm to motion towards the back of the little house. It dropped back down just as quickly when Hiroshu nodded and followed, hanging lifelessly as he trudged forward.

The two reached a little window, with a crack of light showing through its partly closed shutters. Hiroshu was startled when his partner visibly cringed and suddenly grabbed at his own hair beneath his hat with a hand.

"…_Father, Mina, Liu...I guess I still can't sleep…" _

Her gentle voice stabbed him through with each and every syllable. Yuhan felt himself being pulled forcefully towards the window, though his body seemed completely detached as his mind went numb.

As Hiroshu peered curiously through the little gap, he allowed his partner some time as they waited, as her voice continued to drift quietly through the air.

"_- feels kind of weird since you two are actually alive and all, but…" _

Yuhan's eyes began to grow crazed again when he couldn't stop them from looking into the gap as well. There she was, kneeling in her slightly discolored nightgown, the robe having been tied loosely so that one of its sleeves drooped slightly past her shoulder. Her smooth, auburn hair flowed so perfectly down her back, some of it brushing against the wooden floor below… "H-Hiroshu." The Peace Orator's voice faltered. "Why are we doing this?"

Hiroshu snapped his head back to address him, his expression growing quickly alarmed. "Oh come on, don't start this now, man!" he whispered frantically. "Keep it together, now – come on!"

"_- hope he's alright, too…still want to see him…maybe you'll like him a little better…" _

Yuhan stared back wildly. "W-why…what do we do this for? Why do we convert…people…what have I been doing?"

His partner slid a stony hand very painfully across his own face. "We can't discuss this right now, Yuhan. You'll have all the time in the world later," he replied quickly, his words jumbling together. "We'll talk about it over lunch tomorrow – or something! My treat! Just – just stop it, alright? Go!"

The Peace Orator simply continued to stand in the same, blank manner while his delirium only seemed to grow worse. "How did the system…come to this…" he continued monotonously. "Maybe he's right…I'm going to pay for everything…and burn to the ground…"

Hiroshu was very visibly disturbed. "You've got to remember your duty!" he snapped, though quietly enough so that the young woman inside the house wouldn't hear. "Remember why you're part of the Dai Li! This _has _to happen – this is why the city is at peace! Come on!"

Yuhan's eyes suddenly snapped back into focus. His partner seemed relieved for a moment, until he spoke again. "Hiroshu…is this peace?"

The silence was deafening. Her voice continued to drift painfully slow through the night air.

The older agent struggled with himself for several moments. His expression was very uncharacteristically…_lost_, almost. He finally glowered back at Yuhan, his voice cracking a little as he spoke. "We – we're in no position for things like that, Yuhan. We're Dai Li agents, and we do what we're told. We don't have the right to ask those questions! This is the reality, and you _have _to act now!"

Yuhan took a last, agonizing glance at her graceful figure as she continued to pray silently to her lost family. His words choked up inside his throat once again. "I-I…I can't…"

It all happened so fast that the young Orator couldn't process it in time. A single fist, with its rocky fingers clenched tightly, shot so forcefully that it crashed straight through the wooden shutters. Following the shattering noise was a small, sharp gasp – and a sickening thump.

Yuhan had barely looked in time to see her frail body crumple to the wooden floor, her hair fanning out in all directions over her face. Behind him, Hiroshu still held his bare fist in the air, trembling slightly. The glove had struck her square in the temple.

"_RIYA!" _The Peace Orator lost sense of the world around him as he kicked into the ground as hard as he could. It split open with several deafening cracks, demolishing the wall in his way as he ran wildly towards the unconscious girl.

"_Are you out of your mind?" _Hiroshu yelled, sprinting after him. "You're going to wake the whole neighborhood!"

Yuhan heard nothing as he lowered himself onto his knees, lifting her face tenderly towards his own. Supporting her with an arm, he brushed the messy strands of hair away and trailed a bare finger across the spot where she'd been hit, almost wincing in pain at the dark violets and blues already discoloring her light skin. Everything spun crazily around him.

Hiroshu stood behind, hanging his head as he dismissively summoned his glove back around his fingers. "We…have to go…" he announced weakly. "Yuhan…"

The Orator only continued to stare down at her face, while his own seemed to grow more crazed by the second.

"Listen to me, Yuhan – they'll _kill_ her if you don't do this. You know that! For the love of all Spirits, _pull yourself together!_"

…

Mr. Huang, who lived two houses down and who was a naturally light sleeper, was awoken by the crash immediately. He wouldn't have sprung out from his home so quickly if it hadn't come from Riya's direction.

He stopped dead in his tracks at the sight. The back of her house had been blown through, with several huge chunks of debris trailing behind it. As he stood there barefoot in his night robe, two dark green figures emerged slowly from within, the gold trimmings of their uniforms glinting slightly beneath the bright moonlight. One of them walked briskly ahead, seeming to beckon the other with a hurried arm.

The immediate and awful recognition of the Dai Li almost prompted Riya's neighbor to vomit right at that moment. There she was - being carried away, just like that, by…

"_Yuhan?" _Mr. Huang's eyes widened even more in horror as he stammered the name.

The young agent turned slowly towards him. He was carrying Riya in his arms so gently, so carefully…The way he cradled her so that her head even rested against his chest, rather than hanging backwards, would've actually appeared romantic – had his eyes not looked so utterly broken.

"Yuhan…!" Mr. Huang finally repeated, his voice growing frantic. "W-what are you doing?"

The second agent stepped forward. "You have no business here, peasant. Carry on." His voice was cold and firm.

"_What are you doing?_" her neighbor only yelled more hysterically. "Where are you taking -" He paused for a moment as the young agent's body shook slightly, his eyes sinking back beneath the brim of his hat. "You – _you don't have to do this, _Yuhan!" he screamed. "You -"

Mr. Huang gave an agitated cry as the earth suddenly sprang up beneath him, causing him to crash onto his back and skid across the ground.

"_Stand back." _The other agent held an arm out dangerously before him.

Riya's neighbor watched despairingly as he struggled to pick himself up from the ground. Several others began to spill from their homes, with the same disbelieving and appalled reactions at the sight.

The agents had already reached the special carriage waiting behind them by now, and Yuhan was the first to disappear behind its dark doors as he lifted Riya carefully inside as well. His fellow agent soon followed, throwing one last threatening glance towards the staring Lower Ring citizens as a warning not to follow.

Mr. Huang felt his eyes begin to blur as he gazed after the retreating carriage. The last of Liu and Mina's broken family had finally disappeared from the little community.

O/O

Yuhan went over every detail of her face, again and again. He sat silently before Riya, though the two of them were separated by a curved metal rail that ran around the entire little room. Her head still hung limply to the side while her body was held firmly in place by the stone restraints of the chair she rested upon.

Even though she'd been knocked out so bluntly, Riya's resting face was so beautiful, so peaceful…so natural. Her chest rose and fell softly with her quiet breaths, and a few stands of soft brown hair sometimes brushed down over her cheek. The agent sitting before her was certain that Koh would rip off his own face as soon as he passed away, for distorting something so pure.

He wished for her to sleep forever, even if he couldn't look at her stunning hazel eyes ever again. Just to watch her carry on, in all her natural perfection…

She jolted.

Yuhan slowly rose to his feet, the stone pillar he sat upon sinking swiftly back into the floor as he positioned himself at the very center of the lantern's circular pathway.

Riya didn't belong down here, in all this gloom. The hazel color of her eyes was heavily dampened by the darkness of the chamber as she snapped them open. Her pupils darted about the room as they slowly came into focus, and she quickly grew panicked upon realizing that she couldn't move any of her limbs.

All of it suddenly seemed to register at once, when her consciousness returned fully. First the rail, then the eerie glow of the lantern in its corner, then the stone chair tying her down…and finally, the neatly folded yellow dress, scarf, and ornate headpiece already prepared on the ground next to her seat.

Her eyes cracked wide with fright as soon as they recognized the Joo Dee uniform, and a small gasp escaped her lips. At last, she twisted her head back forward to face the one who would administer it to her.

Riya went completely and utterly still as soon as her gaze fell upon Yuhan's shadowy face. The recognition seemed to make her entire body go limp again, and the tears immediately began welling up as she stared, unblinking.

Yuhan forced himself to keep looking into her shattered eyes as her sobs quickly grew louder and heavier. "C-calm down…" he began feebly, the protocolled words quickly dying on his lips. He soon found himself lying to them both. "Riya, please…calm down…i-it'll be alright…" Her head began to shake in disbelief, the salty rivers already reddening her eyes. "It's…all going to be okay…everything's going to be alright…"

It only made it worse that Riya seemed to be able to read all the terrible emotions wrecking havoc within his own eyes. "N-no…Yuhan, please…!" she sputtered back, her voice cracking with desperation as the tears slid endlessly down her face. "I want…to remember y-you…please!"

Another part of his soul seemed to tear apart with every word she spoke. He shakily folded his arms inside his sleeves as the glowing lantern began to move, illuminating both their faces as it passed between them.

"Yuhan…!" she pleaded again, though the frantic confusion had already begun to seep into her eyes as they grew disoriented and left her control. They were quickly losing their focus before the brilliant glow of the lantern, which whizzed faster and faster by the second. The black of her pupils expanded, slowly swallowing up the hazel like a blank, shadowy sea. Before long, Yuhan dissolved from her vision as her dulled expression became transfixed upon the light against her will.

He had to suppress the heart-wrenching urge to step forward and shatter the lantern between his very fingers, over and over again. And every time, he had to force himself to envision the alternative of her mangled body being tossed callously into Lake Laogai by his own organization. Choking back the lump threatening to burst open his throat, the Peace Orator felt all of his insides slowly dying as he watched the feeling gradually drain from her eyes, the tears easing their flow. Her trance had silenced any efforts to speak by now, as her expression continually grew unnaturally placid.

Out of nowhere, Yuhan felt certain words burning through his chest, radiating throughout his entire body. They seemed to burst forth in the midst of his agonized efforts to keep steady. Of all the times in the world for those words to stir now… He'd always wanted to wait for that one, perfect moment that he couldn't possibly screw up. Watching the girl of his dreams slowly lose her grip on the world, however, the young agent finally realized that there never was a right moment. His gaze faltered upon Riya's statue-still face, with the long tresses of auburn framing it perfectly like always...no, there was no such thing as a right moment. Not for them. But now…there would never exist a moment ever again. Yuhan took in a long, shaky breath as he prepared to address her. Something foreign was blurring his vision, something warm and liquid that stung very badly, and that he hadn't felt in years.

"Riya." He hung onto every last syllable of her name as he spoke up boldly, knowing that it would be the last time she'd ever recognize it. The young woman's eyes suddenly returned to life as she blinked a couple of times, and she stared back at him in surprise.

"I love you."

Time stood still. The glowing lantern dragged millimeter by millimeter across its rail as Riya's eyes slowly filled with tears once again, matching his. Though she choked on them several times in her first attempts to reply, her mouth almost actually formed a smile – a broken, betrayed smile…but still a smile nonetheless. "Yuhan…" The gentle sound of his name caused his lower lip to start trembling as her last, tender gaze melted into his. Her flooded eyes were glowing with the truth that radiated through every fiber of her being. "Oh Yuhan, I lo -"

"_There is no war in Ba Sing Se._"

Whatever amount of soul remaining inside him was extinguished as he denied himself the rest of her heartfelt response. Even if his lungs felt like they'd collapsed on the spot, Yuhan could not last another second hearing her soft voice. He wouldn't have been able to go through with the conversion, and she would have died. He was doing it in her place now.

Riya instantly lost the words as soon as his monotonous voice cut them off. Her sobbing, heartbroken face slowly reverted, despite her furious and desperate efforts to stay awake, to stay with him for just another moment. Even her small, feeble gasps of air grew quieter and quieter until the hum of the lantern was the only noise left inside the chamber. After several excruciating seconds, the last traces of emotion finally gave way to the completely blank slate typical of converted rebels. Her eyes glazed over once more and glued themselves onto the rotating lantern, completely oblivious to the warm streaks of water that still glistened freshly upon her cheeks.

…

Most rebels underwent only one phase of conversion. Yuhan forcefully prepared to begin the second, special phase created for Joo Dees as the lantern stopped moving temporarily. There was a strange emptiness in the air that crept into his bones, regardless of his best efforts to stay focused. It seemed to stiffen all of the joints within his fingers as he clumsily pinched out the flame inside the glass orb.

The pause between the two conversions caused Riya to regain her consciousness as the agent silently changed the candle within the lantern to a thicker, distinctly marked one. He froze when her voice suddenly drifted across the room, slow and lethargic.

"Oh…_hi_, Yuhan…what a funny place…" He could feel her smiling behind him before he slowly and very painfully turned back around.

"You look funny, too…" Riya continued, laughing sluggishly with no memory of the war or what she was even doing here. The strong, determined soul within her had long gone. "So many dark circles under your eyes…more than usual…"

It wasn't even the smile she would bear as a Joo Dee, and it still twisted apart his chest.

"Hey, what's the matter?" the young woman asked innocently, gazing curiously into his lifeless eyes without even paying attention to the restraints pinning her down. "Why're you so sad, Yuhan? We're in Ba Sing Se…everyone's happy here…"

Oh, Dear Spirits have mercy on him. The young agent sharply turned back around, whipping out the spark rocks inside his pocket in a horrible frenzy as he hurried to light the lantern before she could say anymore.

"Won't you answer me, Yuhan?" Her lethargic voice continued to numb his eardrums as he finally produced a decent enough flame to light the candle. He stepped abruptly back to his post in the middle of the circular rail as the lantern immediately began to speed across its path once more.

Yuhan let out a long sigh as Riya's voice finally slowed down, her tone instantly growing flat and vacant before dying out altogether. He gazed at her placid face as the lantern made a few more rounds between them, recalling the peaceful expression that'd vanished completely from the world only few hours ago. His eyes slowly shut to preserve the vision as best they could, and he inhaled deeply in the silence.

When his emerald eyes reopened, the Peace Orator's face resumed its stony, perfectly emotionless expression. His words came out just as flawlessly, having long been famed for their influence. "Riya…" The only sign of his hesitation was the sudden pause. "Riya does not exist."

His pale face remained as stoic as ever, true to his undying reputation as Long Feng's favorite brainwasher, but his soul began to spill from his eyes as he continued. "Joo Dee is your name. Joo Dee is what others shall address you as. Joo Dee is…forever your title. Do you understand?" The tears dripped silently onto the floor.

"Riya…exist…Joo Dee?" As expected, the first round left the young woman slightly confused.

"There is no Riya," the agent declared firmly. "She is part of the war. And there is no war. You know that."

Her hazel eyes remained wide and unblinking as the black of her pupils expanded more and more. She began to nod along. "Yes, yes…" she agreed. "No war."

"Correct…" Yuhan continued, as the quiet spatter of tears against the floor continued to accompany the high-pitched hum of the rotating lantern. "So what is your name? And who is Riya?"

"My name is Joo Dee. Riya does not exist."

"Good. Do not concern yourself with her existence ever again. Your existence begins today. You live to allow others to see the glory of Ba Sing Se…" Yuhan's voice almost faltered at that moment, but he continued to force the words from his torn-up lungs, allowing them to surface smoothly.

"Ba Sing Se…yes, it is a beautiful city…" Joo Dee agreed, smiling unnaturally.

"Not just beautiful," Yuhan added. "It is the most perfect of cities, and you thrive because of it. Ba Sing Se is everything you need. Your happiness…" He shuddered as the welt in his throat clogged his speech. His eyelids burned from being forced open this whole time, though the slow and steady tears showed them no mercy.

"My…happiness? What is it?" asked Joo Dee, her hazel eyes blinking curiously from the agent's unplanned hesitancy in his speech.

The Peace Orator quickly cleared his throat. "Your happiness lies nowhere else," he continued sternly. "Ba Sing Se is your happiness."

"I understand," replied her lifeless tone, her eyes staring vacantly after the still moving lantern.

"Good," Yuhan finished at last, his fingers clinging so hard to the leather cords beneath his sleeves that his right hand began to lose feeling from lack of circulation. The lantern slowly came to a stop. He lifted a shaky hand, and the stone restraints around Joo Dee's body immediately crumbled away after a few motions. She simply continued to sit there blankly.

The young agent found himself completely exhausted all at once, as one of his bare hands finally lifted towards his face to swipe away some of the salty water. He didn't even want to look down at her, let alone speak again. But he'd already gone this far… "Joo Dee, the Earth King has invited you to Lake Laogai."

At that moment, her two conversions became one, with the complete combination of no Fire Nation war, no personality, and an absolute cue of obedience. "I am honored to accept his invitation."

Though her reply was as eerily submissive as all the other Joo Dee's, the trademark grin hadn't been crafted yet – he was about to redirect her where it would. "Agent Quan Lei Ping will educate you about Ba Sing Se and your duties. Your uniform is ready beside you. Report to Chamber 17 in proper attire. That is all."

Yuhan turned away and extinguished the lantern, the flame disappearing into a hiss of smoke between the tips of his fingers. The blackness of the chamber immediately swept over his face as his back remained turned, even as Joo Dee bowed and exited quietly from the conversion chamber, with her folded uniform in her arms. He eventually lugged himself over to the wall and slowly sank down to the floor.

The agent continued to sit indefinitely in the silent chamber, with his gloves thrown aside as he stared vacantly into the darkness with his dampened eyes, his head feeling as hollow and lifeless as the girl he'd just broken. He eventually noticed that the dim green light shining in beneath the door from the hall outside was barely enough to illuminate his hands. His eyes slowly peered down at them as he turned his palms upwards.

Yes, it was he who'd just turned the one he loved into a mindless clone…into something less than human. It was he who now loved someone who didn't exist. The confirmation of the fact as he stared down at his hands only seemed to puncture another hole through his hollow chest, through the empty space from which Riya had quietly slipped away with his heart.

…

It was reported that night that Agent Yuhan Tsen was pardoned completely for his misdoings, a phenomenon that hadn't occurred for several years in the Dai Li. He became an example for all agents in training – that true loyalty spoke for itself in the end, and that even the worst of mistakes could be forgiven because of it.

It was also reported that a remarkably attractive Joo Dee had been added to the group of tour guides…and that by strange coincidence, the infamously stubborn Liu and Mina of the Lower Ring were successfully converted after passing her on their way to the chamber that night.


	15. City of Twists and Lies

*3 months later from last update* WHY HELLO THERE!

Summer has been much busier than I ever imagined, which didn't do much for my writing progress. But I DID IT. Found time! I feel so proud of myself :P I was fighting a slight writer's block again the whole time, too, and I've probably trashed about 10 scenes from the drafts.

Anyhoo, I'll limit my commentary this time so you can get onto the chapter. And oooh, I like ffnet's new layout. Yuhan's face actually gets to be the book cover now! haha

* * *

><p>"There is no war in Ba Sing Se."<p>

"THERE IS NO WAR IN BA SING SE." The drones of a hundred voices echoed through the damp air of the dreary chamber.

"There is no war within the walls." A single voice cut through the silence a few seconds before the rest. Several years of experience had crafted it into a smooth, frighteningly convincing tone.

"THERE IS NO WAR WITHIN THE WALLS." One hundred pairs of eyes stared after a small, orb-like lantern that hummed along its circular rail, which emitted a blinding light.

"Here, we are safe."

"HERE, WE ARE SAFE."

Like the voice, a single pair of emerald eyes stood out separately from the rest, illuminated for a split second every time the brilliant glow of the lantern whizzed passed them. They were shadowed with years of exhaustion, and they longed to rest at last, to close forever. "Here, we are…free."

"HERE, WE ARE FREE."

They were the only eyes in the room that contained no faith in the words.

…

"Dunno what the hype was all about, these aren't _that_ good," Hiroshu muttered, his speech distorted by the fat dumpling he was chewing on. His partner was leaning indifferently on an elbow across from him and only shrugged slightly in response.

The two agents were still in the dark confines of the Dai Li headquarters, but a few of Hiroshu's friends had offered some lunch from their visit to Upper Ring. They'd found him peering into the entrance of a conversion chamber, as if trying to persuade whoever was inside to get out. All of them seemed to scuttle away immediately after realizing that it was Yuhan. He was still as respected an agent as before, but something about his last Joo Dee conversion had changed him. It was hard for the others to put in words, but in general…everyone feared being around him these days.

Some speculated that the famed converter of rebels had gone insane. Hiroshu's friends, upon closer look, had realized that Yuhan was staring straight at the candle within the glowing lantern until the flame drowned inside the wax and flickered away – which only worsened the theory as they quietly left the scene. Only Hiroshu had stayed behind, picking up the boxes of food from the floor and dragging himself into the chamber to join his partner.

Hardly any words passed between the two as they sat quietly upon the cold floor. Yuhan examined one of the dumplings in his box oddly, seeming to stab it at constantly with a chopstick.

"I honestly don't know why you _like_ to stay in here now," sighed Hiroshu. His sage green eyes dully scanned the curved, rusty rail circling above them.

He received another shrug in reply.

"It just reminds everyone how boring the Dai Li is. Makes you forget that there's a world outside," the older agent continued glumly, having gotten too used to the dead-statue responses. Though he hadn't reacted much to recent events, even he noticed how his attitude towards the organization was turning strangely cynical these days…and it annoyed him. He glanced over at his hardly existent partner again to remind himself why it needed to stop.

After all, that was what always happened to miserable Dai Li agents. They were bound to their duties, no matter what else went on in life. Yuhan had been reduced to what seemed like a hollow shell, responding only to commands from Long Feng like a lifeless puppet - though Hiroshu imagined that if its strings were visible, they'd have been barbed chains. There were only "strings" or "barbed chains," however, if the agents wanted them to be there. Duties were duties, but any member was allowed to enjoy life as he pleased if he followed them. It was practically an agreement: "Don't hurt your duties, and your duties won't hurt you."

Yuhan's duties were still taking their revenge on him. He was trapped.

Only Hiroshu could really see this, however, since any other agent would've laughed and said that Yuhan had it easy. Long Feng was quite pleased with his compliance and even more pleased that he'd resumed his conversions as flawlessly as usual. A 'valuable asset to the organization,' Yuhan was. A 'leader of peace.'

_A messed-up, broken-hearted kid, _Hiroshu added to himself. How long would his partner torture himself over this? His duties had gotten their revenge all right, but the kid was really giving them more credit than he needed to. If he hadn't met Riya in the first place…

That only reminded Hiroshu once more whose fault this really was. If only, if only…how many things could those two words apply to? If only he hadn't desired a stupid cup of exotic tea. If only he'd stopped his stupid partner from following the stupid girl. If only he hadn't taken them to the stupid Outer Wall. If only he hadn't delivered those stupid flowers all the time. If only he hadn't fired his stupid glove at her…

Hiroshu shook his head (though Yuhan hardly took any notice of it). It would do no good to dwell on the past now. He would end up like the lifeless minion of Long Feng across from him if he kept it up for too long. He'd killed a good number of people before. A girl losing her mind was nothing to be worked up over.

…But it was just that she _was_ a girl. She was not a war-crazy, vengeful old man. She was not an Earthbending rebel, intent on killing Long Feng. She was just a girl who wanted her parents back, and a girl who'd made Yuhan smile a lot. Hiroshu knew that Dai Li agents weren't supposed to _think_ about the former lives of Joo Dees, but it was pretty darn hard not to do it with his partner lugging around like a zombie all the time. Yuhan's duties were even affecting _him_, stupidly enough. And most annoyingly…it bothered him.

"A city of lies…"

Hiroshu looked back up with a jolt, having realized that Yuhan actually _spoke_. "Pardon me?" he asked, straightening his back.

"The City of Twists and Lies…" continued his partner, his low voice faintly bitter. "That's all Ba Sing Se is."

"…Good to know." The older agent managed a slight, exasperated sigh. Yuhan was always spewing out overly depressing statements in the most random times nowadays. "Don't forget that it's a city at _peace_," Hiroshu added, making sure to put much emphasis on the last word. It felt almost as if he was reassuring himself, too.

Yuhan glanced up at the curved rail. "Peace built on a pile of lies," he murmured. "What good is that?" His expression had taken on the strange, blank, emotionless…well, _nothingness_ that the others had recently grown wary of.

"You're starting to sound like a bloody traitor again," Hiroshu replied irritably. "Look – I know that things haven't been easy, but you've got to stop it with this dumb attitude. Want to lose your parents too?"

The ground crackled slightly beneath them.

"Alright, I'm sorry," Hiroshu added immediately, though his voice was still stern. "But we all knew what we were getting into. You should still be proud of what you're doing." Something in Yuhan's eyes flickered strangely for the briefest moment. "It's not a natural peace, but it's _there_, isn't it?" the older agent continued. "Look at the rest of the world! Can they say they live decent lives with the Fire Nation burning down everything around them? There's a reason they all come here in a mad rush. Isn't that worth something?"

Judging from his vacant face, Yuhan didn't seem to pick up anything from the words at all. Hiroshu wanted to go on, but it seemed like the kid was still debating whether or not to reply, so he chose to wait for a little while in the heavy silence. "…_They_ didn't know what they were getting into," Yuhan finally retorted miserably, gazing down strangely towards the floor.

Hiroshu immediately recognized the change slowly breaking over Yuhan's expression. The emerald irises were beginning to waver unsteadily as the hot liquid gathered beneath them. Alarmed, Hiroshu quickly threw in his response before the kid could finish recalling another bitter memory of Riya. "No one has a real solution when it comes to peace, Yuhan. We're doing the best we can, and that's really – well, you tell me, then." He motioned towards his partner with the pair of chopsticks in his fingers. "Do you know a better way?"

A blink later, and the emerald eyes were back to normal (completely hollow and grossly sleep-deprived). Yuhan half-sighed as he spoke, eyeing some of the stone plates covering his palm. "Sorry…I know this just gets nowhere. Real peace is probably a lost cause. It's just – the way we try to make it…something just isn't…"

"You think too much," Hiroshu quickly piped in. "All we've got to do is look at the obvious. No one's found a perfect way, but just _look_ at Ba Sing Se!" He motioned past their heads as if pointing to the big city above. "Almost no violence. And no war. What else could people ask for in a peaceful life?"

"…Freedom?"

Hiroshu's shoulders dropped. "Yuhan…not everyone can be free in a peaceful city. I'm really sorry about what happened with you…" His partner seemed to jerk slightly just from the mention of it. "But just assume I'm not talking about that case right now," Hiroshu threw in swiftly. "Complete freedom is exactly what causes _any_ kind of peace to be impossible, and – come on, hasn't Long Feng gone over this with us a thousand times?"

It occurred to the older agent a little too late that he'd accidentally triggered an awful memory. There was something odd gleaming in Yuhan's eyes – a deep, poisonous, and downright frightening kind of blackness. Hiroshu decided to stop it from getting any worse while he could. "Anyway..." he started again (rather loudly), "We'll both feel a lot better outside of this stupid chamber. You don't even have anything to do right now!" The venomous eyes remained the same. "Come on…let's go up to the Upper Ring – or do _something_," Hiroshu added even louder. He stood up and gave his friend a kick to the knee. "See if you can still call the city lame after taking a look around."

Yuhan's glare clearly indicated that he hadn't appreciated the impact of his partner's sharp, stony shoe at all, but Hiroshu was just relieved that he'd let go of that freaky expression from earlier.

O/O

"Huh. When did this get here?" Hiroshu gazed curiously at the scene.

The patrol partners had paused right before reaching the Inner Wall at the sight of a magnificent, circular array of stone barriers positioned right in the middle of the agrarian zone outside. Yuhan dragged himself forward, approaching the rocky border that reached up to about his chest. He dully peered over it, figuring that there was nothing else to do anyway. The bottom of the circular pen had been deeply indented below ground level in order to retain the large, brown and beige rabaroo resting inside. It looked up at Yuhan for a moment, followed by its three young popping their heads curiously from the pouch on its stomach.

"G-good afternoon, sir…" spoke a timid voice from behind. Yuhan turned around to see that an awfully thin peasant was greeting Hiroshu. "I hope that you approve of the new facilities of the Ba Sing Se Zoo," continued the middle-aged man. He wore an old, olive-colored cleaning uniform, and a long broom was still clutched in his trembling fingers as he spoke. "I-I apologize that the usual formalities of requesting permission and necessary paperwork from the Dai Li were not followed, but the construction – it was, u-um, on rather short notice…"

Hiroshu appeared somewhat puzzled, but he lifted his face a bit more to take a glimpse around the rest of the zoo, the brim of his hat rising out of the way. He squinted his eyes as the bright rays of sunlight illuminated his tan face.

"A-again, I apologize! Please forgive my carelessness," beseeched the zookeeper, having feared that Hiroshu's expression indicated a threat. "But I assure you, these facilities are very beneficial to Ba Sing Se, and to the Dai Li. I-income has been rising rapidly since its construction, and it's a pleasant environment that promotes peace for citizens. You won't have any reason to reconsider its operation, o-or…"

Yuhan could tell that Hiroshu was already fond of the new facilities, actually. The zookeeper certainly had nothing to worry about. "Very creative setup you have," the older agent stated casually, giving an approving nod towards the other stony fences in the distance. "Who initiated its construction?"

"A-avatar Aang, sir."

Both of the agents glanced sharply at one another, causing the peasant to cringe. Yuhan felt the rules forming the words on his mouth automatically, that foreign involvement in any of Ba Sing Se's affairs had to be monitored closely by the Dai Li at all times, that the zoo's construction was a severe breach of policy...but they strangely fell hollow before they could even form in his throat. _Our female culprit is a highly dangerous rebel, and she's proven herself capable of upsetting the system of our entire organization. Such an individual cannot be left unchecked, do you understand? _

Those had been rules as well. Yuhan suddenly lost any desire to speak at all.

Hiroshu seemed to sense this as he quietly looked over at his partner for a moment, and resolved to address the zookeeper himself. "Well…he's done a fine job," he announced finally.

The zookeeper's eyes widened with disbelief, and he nodded back rapidly. "Y-yes! He certainly has, sir…" he replied rather faintly. However, it struck the younger agent that the peasant's expression, even while fearful, was glowing with profound joy. A deep kind of gratitude…towards the young Avatar, Yuhan realized.

"Just make sure to notify the Dai Li of any unusual plans in the future," Hiroshu concluded dismissively. "Enjoy your facilities."

None of the words really registered in Yuhan's head from that point on. He didn't even notice when he and his partner left the scene, or when they passed through the gates of the Inner Wall. That grateful expression…why did it bother him so much? The thought remained faintly in his mind throughout the journey into the city.

O/O

Yuhan still hadn't registered their surroundings even when they began to approach the Middle Ring to stop by one of Hiroshu's favorite snack shops – but that was how things always were these days. Life for him now was nothing but movement. 'Go here, convert him, deliver this, go there, stop here, eat, sleep…'

It wasn't truly a life anymore - it was better. Real life held much more than movement…and it hurt much more as well. He could never stop his torturous memories from resurfacing periodically (those dark conversations with Hiroshu certainly didn't help), but focusing on movement alone made it somewhat easier. What else could he do? There were still worse things to lose if he ever fell beneath the Dai Li's standards again – and Long Feng had made sure to point out in the handbook that even suicide would result in the same consequences for those left behind.

A crowd of laughing children rushing past the two agents sparked Yuhan's consciousness again for a moment, due to their volume.

"_Have you seen it…new zoo…armadillo lion…so cool…" _

They were all buzzing about the new facilities in the agrarian zone. Once again, the strange, glowing face of the zookeeper appeared in his mind's eye. Before Yuhan could ponder why it affected him so much, however…

"Hey, those are my _cabbages! _Watch where you're going! Rotten kids…"

Hiroshu joined his partner in gazing dully at a grey-bearded peasant in a dirty green turban and faded tunic a few feet away from them, who was shaking a fist at the children as they rustled past his huge cart of round green vegetables.

"Pah, Ba Sing Se Zoo…what's so good about it anyway? One of its rabaroos ate my cabbages, too…rotten things! No appreciation at all…worse than Omashu…" The turbaned merchant continued muttering incessantly to himself as he picked back up some misplaced cabbages from the ground.

…Yeah, it was definitely a better idea to avoid paying attention to real life, Yuhan concluded. He and Hiroshu nodded a little at each other, seeming to share a mutual agreement to leave the deranged man and his cabbages.

If only they'd left sooner.

"Fire Nation doesn't even do as much damage...a whole war and no cabbages ruined by Firebenders…Earth Kingdom treats me worse…I swear…"

Their backs were still turned as the patrol partners immediately paused. Hiroshu sighed loudly, gazing over at Yuhan. "Looks like that's our cue…"

Yuhan had no idea what was coming out of his mouth. It all spilled out without warning. "No, it's fine. He won't mention it again. Waste of time. Let's go."

"…_and Firebenders don't throw feasts for kids who completely destroy a year's supply of cabbages…what's wrong with the world…" _

Hiroshu's expression was turning terribly skeptical. "Seriously, Yuhan? He's babbling nonstop about the Fire Nation!" He cringed as the complaints in the distance grew even louder. "Want me to shut him up, then?"

Whatever caused Yuhan to refuse before only grew stronger, and he felt it boiling inside him. His words spun out of control. "_No! _There's no reason to drag him into headquarters, he's just a stupid peasant! Long Feng's in prison, the Earth King wants to start an army, and we've all got much better things to worry about!" As he continued yelling, Hiroshu stared back with his mouth slightly open, his face sporting a bizarre mix of expressions. "_Stop getting so excited over a tiny, meaningless thing!_"

Yuhan suddenly regained his senses, and he paused for a moment to register the fact that his arms had somehow risen into the air, lifted a nearby boulder from the ground, and were still hovering it above Hiroshu's head – whose face had gone a little pale. "I…uh…" Yuhan stuttered a bunch of unrecognizable word fragments as he hastily tossed the rock aside. It landed a little too close to the cart of cabbages behind him, causing the merchant to jump back and give a loud yelp of horror.

"Okay…we should go…" Hiroshu finally stated, quite slowly. He made sure to keep his distance from Yuhan as they gradually made their way out of the scene, with the cabbage merchant staring bewilderedly at them from behind.

…

"I'm just going to assume that you lost too much sleep this week…" Hiroshu commented for the first time in nearly an hour. He stalked a few feet behind Yuhan as if he were a psychotic murderer. "They say it gets to your head if you don't rest for more than two days or something. And then you start seeing things…anyway, I'll just leave it at that."

Yuhan made no reply. They'd reached the Upper Ring at last, but he had already removed himself completely from the sight of all the marvelous, shimmering orange tiles coating the rooftops around them. He'd reverted back to focusing on movement as soon as he could, considering what happened earlier.

"…Okay, you know what?" Hiroshu suddenly piped up again. "I _won't _leave it at that. _Are you_ _crazy?_" he shouted. "Sleep deprivation or not, how're we supposed to get anything done if you randomly make attempts to kill me every time?" He suddenly paused. "Wait – this wouldn't happen to be the first time you ran into a rebel outside ever since…you know…"

Yuhan picked up his pace and walked even further ahead without responding. Indeed, he'd hardly been outside headquarters ever since a certain conversion. Thinking about it now was the last thing he wanted to do.

His partner understood. "Alright then…" He went silent, but only for a moment. "Still, you can't carry yourself around like that!" he continued irritably. "This would get you killed by Long Feng for sure. I can't believe we actually left that guy back there! Seriously, the sooner you let go of what happened, the better. If it keeps turning you insane at this rate, we'll _both_ be dead by tomorrow. What if that guy was an Earthbender, huh? What if a crazy rebel was attacking us? Would you still end up throwing a freaking boulder at –"

It must've been a curse, because a raging Earthbender from the Resistance decided to ambush them right at that moment.

Yuhan had barely registered the sight of the rebel dropping down from the tiled roof of the shop they were passing, and he looked just in time to realize that a sea of massive pillars was shooting out in wave-like ripples from the spot of impact where the man's fists struck the ground.

Hiroshu, who was farther back, gave a yell of surprise as he jumped out of the way, kicking himself off the ground and latching onto the wall of the shop with his gloves and boots. Yuhan had been too close to dodge the pillars, stumbling as one of them sprang up beneath his feet, but he managed to regain his balance by rooting the bottom of his rock soles to the earth below. His body followed the sharp force of the pillar towards the sky for a moment before he released his feet and flipped backwards towards the ground again.

The rebel took no notice when Yuhan landed, his murderous grey eyes having locked onto Hiroshu instead. His large, muscular arms stood out even beneath the long, black sleeves of his dirty tunic as he threw them forward. The jagged, blade-like shard of rock he'd already procured from the ground soared towards Yuhan's partner, who quickly kicked himself back off the wall right before it stabbed a gaping hole straight through the plaster.

Hiroshu landed swiftly on the ground next to Yuhan, though he began to clutch at his upper abdomen in pain. "Stupid, useless half-healed rib!" he scowled. "They said it shouldn't be a problem by now!" In the middle of his complaint, however, he flung an arm forward, his fingers rigidly outstretched. All of the individual pieces of his glove separated from one another as they shot away from his fingers and whizzed towards the rebel like bullets.

His attack was immediately met with a thick barrier of earth that sprung from the ground before the rebel, and the sharp glove pieces became wedged inside of it. The heavy wall shot forward at the agents a split second later, just as quickly as the bullets. Aware of Hiroshu's injury, Yuhan leapt ahead of his partner at once. Balling his fists, he clapped his forearms together and thrust them forward. The huge, rectangular wall cracked almost perfectly in half upon impact, and he quickly separated his arms to shove the two pieces apart as they crashed through the air, causing them to fly off to his sides. He twisted his head back towards Hiroshu. "Earthbending's not going to get us anywhere at this rate!" he quickly shouted. "We have to chain him down!"

"Got it!" Hiroshu yelled back, narrowly dodging another knife-like piece of stone that their attacker had just hurled. "Try to pin him down for now so I can get a better aim! You do the Earthbending – I can't do squat with this rib!"

Yuhan nodded as he ducked to avoid another pointed shard of stone, which actually sliced off some of the green tassels from his hat as it flew past him. As the rebel was still preparing his next chunk of earth, the agent widened his stance and dug his feet into the ground, twisting his fists apart in slightly opposite directions. The ground beneath the attacker followed his movements and loosened into thick mud.

Hiroshu took the chance to strike, seeing that the rebel had been caught off-guard by the sudden sinking of his feet, and two metallic chains shot out from his sleeves as he whipped them out. Yuhan solidified the earth again to further destabilize the attacker. The cuffs landed precisely and locked themselves around the rebel's wrists.

Before Hiroshu could get a chance to tighten the pull of the chains, however, the rebel grabbed them first with his own hands and gave a hard yank. The agent, being the lighter and less bulky figure of the two, suddenly sailed through the air in surprise, the chains still attached to his arms. He managed to turn himself upright before hitting the ground and almost managed to make solid contact with the ground using his stone shoes, but his rib must've given away as he twisted his body, for he suddenly cringed and ended up falling on his face instead. Another yank on the chains from the rebel only further dragged him forward and prevented him from being able to stand.

Alarmed, Yuhan immediately began to charge towards his partner to help. Meanwhile, the rebel pulled his feet out from the earth below as he gazed down triumphantly – or rather, _maliciously_ at Hiroshu. A dark, twisted smile was stretching wide across his face, and the coarse strands of long grey hair that had slipped from his topknot only seemed to make it worse as they hung down over his eyes. "Disgraceful scum of the Earth Kingdom," he scoffed, appearing to enjoy the sight of an elite Dai Li agent sprawled helplessly across the ground.

Yuhan suddenly slowed down his pace involuntarily. The man's vile expression was so familiar…

"This is for Suyin." With that, the ground around the chained rebel and agent began to shake violently.

Hiroshu's eyes widened with horror as he looked up. "Uh…Yuhan? A little help here…?" The rebel had ground one of his feet onto both the chains right at Hiroshu's wrists, preventing any chance of escape. The ground continued to rumble as a gigantic boulder began to rise slowly into the air, and the agent beneath seemed to shrink in its shadow.

Despite all this, the air had grown hollow and silent around Yuhan, and he couldn't move.

"YUHAN! A LITTLE HELP?" screamed Hiroshu at the top of his lungs, while the rebel seemed to put effort into positioning the boulder just right – meaning about five feet above Hiroshu's head.

By the time Yuhan finally reacted, the boulder had barely begun to drop. Horrified and frantic all at once, the agent came to with a jolt and slammed his feet into the ground, punching forward with both arms in a desperate attempt to intercept the attack.

With miraculous timing, a single shard of rock extended from the ground in front of Hiroshu's face just as the boulder came crashing down. Its sharp point shot upwards and cracked straight through the massive stone, and the fragments crashed down its thick sides away from the body beneath. One of the pieces, however, roughly the size of a large brick, struck its target.

If it weren't for the protection of his hat, Hiroshu probably would've suffered a lifelong concussion. "OW! BLOODY REALM OF – _ARGH!_"

Yuhan stood there stunned for a moment as his partner continued yelling all sorts of curse words in his agony, but he tried to force composure upon himself as he rushed forward towards the scene. His head was still faint, still numb from the realization that he was battling a man who'd lost someone dear…a man who'd lost her forever from existence…

Taking no chance to hesitate, the rebel redirected one of the fragments of the boulder as it was still falling through the air. Yuhan was trying too hard to focus whatever he could on helping Hiroshu – and he noticed it a little too late.

"AGH!" The distracted agent had twisted his head to the side to try avoiding the impact, but the rock still struck the side of his temple excruciatingly hard. Yuhan staggered backwards as one of his hands lifted clumsily towards the throbbing center of pain.

Hiroshu's wrists had been freed the moment the rebel shifted his stance to attack his partner. The older agent immediately jumped to his feet and rooted them firmly onto the ground, even raising some more earth to solidify around them for extra support. He tenderly rubbed at his own throbbing head for a moment, but he quickly took advantage of the rebel's diverted attention and gave the chains a sharp pull.

Having been unprepared, the rebel fell backwards as his body was dragged across the ground by the wrists. He began thrashing about in an attempt to get back up, but the agent prevented it using his same tactics from earlier.

Yuhan gazed deliriously in their direction, the world still slightly spinning from the pain in his temple. He knew that this would be the only chance to end it for good, however, and concentrated his vision the best he could while throwing his arms forward, his wide sleeves slashing through the air. The two metal chains within them followed, and the cuffs latched themselves securely around the rebel's ankles before locking into place.

Both of the agents pulled at the same time, and the man was no longer able to move any of his limbs. Hiroshu finally made a fist as his arm shook from retaining the tension of the chain attached to it, and his remaining glove shot out. It struck the rebel's neck with a sickening impact, and the man's body fell limp.

Hiroshu was the first to detach the chains from his own arms as he stepped forward with angry strides. The rebel was still conscious, half-choking and moaning in pain occasionally. The agent stared down at him with narrowed eyes for a few seconds before giving his face a hard kick, and the man was out cold.

Yuhan quietly stood back in the distance, half-heartedly detaching his own chains from his arms. He didn't really know what to say to his partner, and his head still spun weirdly.

"…Who in Koh's Realm is _Suyin?_" Hiroshu demanded as he approached him slowly, rubbing at his own head again. There was no reply.

And for the first time ever, Hiroshu gave a sheepish-looking Yuhan a murderous glare.

O/O

The afternoon began to give way to the evening, and the sun was glowing deep orange in preparation for its setting.

"…and I probably have to get a new uniform while I'm at it!"

Yuhan listened quietly to his partner's enraged lecture as they sat temporarily on the tiled edge of a fancy fountain outside a restaurant. He could only continue muttering, "Sorry…"

Though one of them was yelling constantly, both agents leaned over on their elbows to try easing the throbbing pain in their heads. Hiroshu looked down at his uniform with disgust, counting the endless permanent stains that it had gathered from being dragged across the ground during the battle. "I don't even feel happy to be alive yet!" he went on, glowering over at his partner. "That was ridiculous!"

"Sorry…"

Hiroshu groaned loudly for the hundredth time that conversation. "I think I'm just going to head to the doctor now. My head's killing me, and my rib's just making everything more annoying. And then I'll have to go to the seamstress – anyhow, _you see what I mean? _Stop being insane! You know why that guy attacked us out of all the agents? Because _you _were being weird, and we looked like easy targets walking all separately like that! I was actually going to _die! _You probably would've too, at that rate…"

His voice suddenly trailed off as his expression slowly dropped and gradually began twisting into horror. He seemed to freeze into place as he stared.

"_Hello, _Agent Tsen! Agent Leung! It is an honor and pleasure to see you here." Her hair was cropped unnaturally straight at her shoulders, wound perfectly at the top of her head around a thin and elegant green hairpiece. Some of the auburn strands brushed the sides of her pale cheeks as she bowed deeply.

Whatever expression distorted Hiroshu's face was nothing compared to Yuhan's. His emerald eyes looked as if they saw something else, yet stared blankly in the face of the true image burning through them. They remained wide open in some kind of mix between life and death.

Her wide, horrifying grin refused to falter. "Whatever is the matter, gentlemen? You do not look well. Agent Leung, you deserve a far better quality uniform than your current attire. Shall I notify the seamstress for you?" Throughout her whole speech, her hazel eyes hadn't blinked even once.

Though it took him several seconds, Hiroshu was the only one who could force himself to speak. "I…no I don't…you – what're you doing here?" he asked weakly. His partner remained as still as a corpse beside him.

"It is my duty to ensure that the cultural standards of the Dai Li be upheld, sir. Your uniform, Agent Leung, is not up to standard, and I believe you would _very _much enjoy a more professional appearance. With all due respect, please allow me to contact the seamstress for a replacement. It will be most convenient for you!"

Hiroshu found himself suddenly shaking his head very rapidly. "No – _no, _I'm fine," he stammered. "J-Joo Dee, please attend to other matters. Thank you for your concern."

She immediately bowed at the command and proceeded to walk quietly out of sight, the long skirt of her yellow dress rippling slightly in the breeze.

The older agent could only bear to glance for a moment back over at his partner before having to turn his face sharply away again. Everything he'd just been yelling about earlier suddenly felt so insignificant…so meaningless. "I…I'm going to head out now. Doctor maybe," he finally managed to say in the silence. "Y-you should get out of here, too."

Not another word passed between the two agents as Hiroshu quickly stood up and paced away from the scene.

O/O

It burned. All of the pain he'd tried so hard to dull by focusing on movement…it burned, all over again. It was even worse this time, now accompanied by a horrifying image that would never stop haunting his already throbbing head.

Yuhan staggered erratically throughout the paved streets of the Upper Ring, with no idea where he was going or why. Everything he'd refused to think about, everything he'd left behind in real life was now dragging him back headfirst into it – and it felt awful. But he couldn't stop the thoughts from flooding over, from reliving the joy and pain of a distant love, from bringing forth all the bitter, hateful urges to watch Long Feng suffer a horrible death…

He stumbled forward half-consciously through the door of what seemed like a large, exquisite restaurant and finally collapsed into a seat of the farthest, most isolated table he could find. _You can't go anywhere with this. You have no choice. Calm down. Move on..._the thoughts did little to comfort him, especially with his head still aching persistently from the earlier injury.

Of all the memories to resurface next, the glowing, grateful face of the zookeeper ended up occupying his mind. Yuhan warily decided to try figuring out what it was that made it so strangely significant. Any thoughts that were unrelated to _her_ were better, anyway. He looked back on the memory of the Ba Sing Se Zoo, recalling his discovery that Avatar Aang had built it, and how the zookeeper's profound expression had appeared for that fleeting moment he was mentally thanking the child with all his heart…

That must've been it. It bothered Yuhan to see such a grateful expression…because he'd never received one like that himself. Nor did the rest of the Dai Li. And they were taught to believe that that was how people were feeling about their contributions to the city. That had to be it. It bothered him because, as a Dai Li agent…he'd never known what a truly thankful person looked like until he saw the face of the zookeeper.

It bothered him most because of the sacrifices the Dai Li were forced to make for their contributions.

Peace required sacrifice, they'd always said. People would fight it, people would hate it, but the sacrifice would always mean something to someone out there in the city, even if the agents didn't know it. Take a look around, the authorities would always tell the new recruits. Ba Sing Se was the last utopia on earth. The peace they created was worth every sacrifice…and the glorious conclusion was that even the sacrifices they would never recover from would mean something to someone. The citizens were happy and at peace. It was the ultimate contribution for the greater good.

Worst of all, Yuhan knew that the harsh principles of sacrifice applied to the loss of loved ones as well. The knife that had long been wedged in the center of his chest gave another twist as soon as his thoughts drifted back to Riya. Oh Spirits, how he loved her…It was already bad enough that he could care less for the greater good if he'd had the choice to avoid the conversion, but the very idea that there was just _nothing_ in the sacrifice at all, not even a thankful person out there…it was just appalling. It made everything even worse. He finally knew why the glowing face was so important.

_A city of lies…_

Yuhan rested his face limply upon his stony palms over the polished table. The darkness that swept over his vision only allowed her beautiful face to appear again, her hazel eyes softly reminding him of something that didn't exist. He felt the thin, hot trickle of salty water slowly beginning to leak past the sides of his hands, but he was too weak to fight it today.

"It's certainly been a while, hasn't it…" spoke a soothing, elderly voice from above. "Does something trouble you, young man?"

The agent slowly lifted his face up, smearing some of the tears across his cheek as he attempted to wipe them, somewhat uselessly, on the nonabsorbent and stony surface of his hand. He cleared his throat a little as he composed himself enough to stop their flow, though his eyes ended up widening in surprise. "…M-Mushi?"

"My apologies for disturbing you," said the heavy old brewer, smiling sympathetically as his golden eyes twinkled, "but it has always been my belief that even the worst of moods can be eased with a nice, hot cup of tea. Would you like some?"

Yuhan gazed back blankly. "You…work here…?" was all he could ask. With the strange recent events regarding the obsessive cabbage merchant and attack from the rebel, with all the principles of the Dai Li suddenly mocking him, and with a Lower Ring tea brewer inexplicably appearing in one of the wealthiest shops in the Upper Ring, complete with a new and expensive green and gold server's uniform…it felt like everything in the city was falling out of place.

"Why, it is none other than my very own tea shop, the Jasmine Dragon!" Mushi replied brightly, beaming with pride. "One of my lifelong dreams come true. But here, why don't you give this a try? I humbly invite you." He'd already brought an embellished tray over and was setting down a steaming pot of tea and two porcelain cups as he spoke. "For a tired soul like yours, I believe green tea will do much good – with extra ginseng. Free of charge!"

"I…oh…Th-thank you, I guess…" a still bewildered Yuhan managed to reply, though his statement was originally supposed to be a congratulations to the old brewer.

Mushi nodded in acknowledgment, smiling again as he proceeded to fill the cups to the brim with the hot brew. Though he'd always been a jolly man, there was something different about his attitude today, as if his happiness had grown even deeper since the last time they'd met. It wasn't just because of the shiny new uniform he bore, or his tidied-up, plaited silver hair…

"Uncle! The shop's closing in six minutes!" called a young, chipper voice.

"I know, just give us a few moments! I'll come help you clean," replied the old brewer, beaming with joy as he addressed his nephew…the scarred, _not_ angry boy. Yuhan blinked a couple of more times as he stared. Everything was seriously falling out of place. _A city of twists…? _

Mushi cleared his throat as he turned back to address the agent, who was still watching Li's cheerful figure stride away in the distance. He slowly took a seat across the small table, scooping up one of the porcelain cups into his aged hands. "Tea tastes the best when it is steaming – it truly warms the soul. You should drink yours before it turns cold and disgusting," he chuckled merrily, taking a deep sip from his cup.

Yuhan sighed a little, finally picking up his own cup with a hand and lifting it to his mouth. Though the steaming hot liquid almost burned his lips, the tea was one of the most flavorful things he'd tasted in a while. He found himself drinking it a little more willingly, and even his constantly aching head seemed to feel somewhat bearable.

Sitting across from him, the elderly brewer quietly gazed over, his golden eyes glistening mysteriously. "You have no obligation to answer," he began slowly. "But I cannot help my curiosity. If you could so kindly pardon me for asking…where is your lovely lady friend today? She always appreciates a nice cup of tea, as I remember – and a good song!"

The agent's fingers involuntarily gripped down on his cup, and it cracked. His eyes immediately fled beneath the protection of his hat. He wanted to apologize for his sudden reaction, to say _something_ – but his head only jerked a bit as it shook back and forth.

"Ah, so she is the reason…" Mushi's voice seemed to indicate confirmation more than it did surprise as he smiled sadly. "I apologize for causing you unnecessary pain." He reached over and gently pried the leaking cup of tea from the agent's trembling fingers. Reaching inside his pocket, he pulled out a new one immediately and filled it to the brim like before. "Here, why don't you have some more tea?" he asked softly, setting it down before Yuhan. He still addressed him despite being unable to see half his face. "Forgive me again for being so insensitive."

Yuhan glumly pushed the cup a little closer to himself before picking it up slowly between his thumb and index finger. "No…I'm sorry…" he found the strength to reply at last, though feebly. "My fault, anyway – for…" With that, he downed the entire cup of tea in one swipe. The scalding of his throat was a very good distraction to prevent the tears threatening to form again, after all.

"There is no need to apologize, my young friend," Mushi assured him warmly. "An aching soul simply needs time to heal – and more tea. May I?"

Yuhan nodded bleakly and hardly took notice of his cup being refilled yet again.

"So…she will not be returning?" the old brewer asked gently. He continued sipping at his own cup, sorrowfully observing the agent.

"No. She…she can't," replied the Peace Orator, with another scalding glug from his cup.

"A shame indeed…a delightful young woman, she always was," Mushi remarked quietly. "Your attempts to mend the relationship have proved unsuccessful, I assume?"

"I-I can't do that either…" Yuhan could faintly see the brewer's puzzled expression from the corner of his eye. "It wouldn't make sense to explain it…but I can't," he finished heavily. It was a miracle that he was even able to speak about the matter for this long, but maybe it was just the way his head still throbbed persistently, making it harder to think clearly in general…or maybe it was something about the elderly man's calm, understanding face that made it easier, even if only by a little.

"Impossible to even attempt? That's strange," the old brewer responded, stroking his beard. "The fascinating world of romance has endless possibilities! It is unusual for me to hear such a statement."

"Well – that's just how it is this time. I can't," replied the agent, rather curtly. He sighed a second later. "Sorry…it's just that the situation is kind of…hopeless." He could feel Mushi's eyes suddenly boring into his soul, even while his own were still hidden. Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to lift his face upwards and stare straight into the golden irises, which were already indicating their disagreement. "Look – I'm trapped, alright?" His voice cracked slightly. "Everything I do…everything…it's just causing trouble somewhere, for someone. Just moving – just _living _is adding something bad to the world…but I can't stop. I'm stuck. Trapped. So for her – I can't…" Yuhan felt shameful and lowly for being unable to control himself as he lifted a sleeve to swipe away a few escaped tears. If only the rest of the Dai Li could see him now. What a professional, honorable agent he was indeed, melting down in front of some old geezer…

"Young man, I know that I may never understand the deeper reasons for your troubles," Mushi began gently. "However, I have never been one too fond of the word 'hopeless.'" The agent slowly looked up at him, his damp expression stubbornly begging to differ. "No matter how severe the circumstances are…" continued the brewer, "I am a strong believer that simply attempting – simply trying – is never an impossibility." He only smiled as Yuhan's face twisted defiantly. "It is hard, I know. It is difficult, so difficult that we sometimes cannot bear the terrible pain…" His golden eyes grew strangely distant and glowed with the faint signs of a past despair, of something once hopeless. "Sometimes failure is so easy – and perhaps failure will happen indeed," he continued severely, looked back at the agent again. "But to try alone is something worth a lifetime. You must not deny yourself this last, pure chance. It is always there, whether you see it or not, and you must find it."

Yuhan couldn't find the words to answer, his broken eyes simply gazing warily towards the strange, profound old brewer.

Mushi suddenly raised his thick arms high in the air, stretching them widely as he gave a loud yawn. "I am getting much too old to be staying up this late!" he chuckled, bringing his arms back down slowly. "It would be most refreshing for me to enjoy a long, relaxing sleep right about now – perhaps after one more cup of tea." He smiled again, though somewhat sadly, when the agent didn't answer. "I must apologize for making such commentary about your affairs," he continued humbly. "It was not in my position to do so."

The Peace Orator found himself disagreeing before he knew it. "No…I appreciate the kindness you showed me today, really. Thank you. Actually – sorry I'm not much of a conversation livener…that probably wasn't the greatest thing for you to hear…" He was still a little embarrassed at himself from earlier.

"Oh, not at all!" Mushi replied, his deep voice rumbling with laughter. "It only brings me great joy that a once fascinating stranger has become a fascinating companion."

And for the briefest moment, both brewer and agent shared warm, friendly smiles.

"Anyway, I must help my nephew finish cleaning this shop. I'm afraid he's done most of the work by now!" the elderly man finished cheerily. "I'm sure you have your own obligations to attend to as well."

"Yeah…I do." The young Orator thoughts drifted towards the endless duties waiting for him back at headquarters, but somehow that unbearable shadow of despair that seemed to cling to them earlier felt lifted. He couldn't explain why, since everything was still just as impossible as before…but it sure felt a lot better. He decided just to enjoy it while he could.

O/O

Yuhan thoughtfully examined a package of thin, herbal scented packets clutched in his stony fingers as he stalked through the night, the moon glistening off the expensive roof tiles of the buildings he passed. Mushi had given him quite a generous supply of green tea, apparently "to help win the battle against sleep deprivation."

He knew he was still headed back to the equivalent of Koh's Realm, where he would be forced to relive what he'd done to the love of his life over and over again. He knew more minds would be lost tonight. He just had a sudden, inexplicable drive to do something. Anything. If only he could figure out just what it was…as usual, though, every possibility his mind came up with led to nothing. The Dai Li had crafted their system too perfectly.

…But still. _Still. _

Perhaps he would never find a way – he probably never would – but as long as the "still" drive remained (he decided to name it that since he had trouble understanding its nature)…he would just have to keep going. No matter how stupid it was, after all, it sure beat focusing only on movement any day.

_Thanks, Mushi… _

A frantic messenger suddenly rushed into the scene, his sweat causing the light combination of the whites, greens, and yellows of his uniform to discolor as the soaked fabric stuck to his skin. Yuhan could barely react before the boy spoke up quickly. "An urgent message from Sir Long Feng to all agents! S-state you name, please," he announced hastily, whipping out a list of all the members in the Dai Li to cross out on.

"Oh…Agent Yuhan Tsen," the Peace Orator replied, puzzled. "What's the matter?"

Bowing before he spoke, the boy cleared his throat and stood up stiffly, straightening his square-shaped glasses a little. "Your fellow agents obtained evidence of and took into custody a dangerous imposter disguised as a Kyoshi warrior, along with two companions."

"_What? _Who –_" _

"Princess Azula of the Fire Nation, sir."

"…_WHAT?_" The Impenetrable City had let one of the worst possible individuals on earth just slip through its walls? What was the world coming to?

"Please listen, sir. Your leader strictly commands his agents not to act on the matter until further orders. He is currently making a compromise with the princess that may lead to Ba Sing Se's advantage."

Yuhan could only stare back, dumbfounded. Did he just hear that correctly? Long Feng. Leader of the peacekeepers. Making a compromise with Fire Nation royalty. The symbol of the very thing they were trying to keep out of the city.

It somehow didn't fit together.

"He assures you that Princess Azula will prove beneficial to the organization and that she is completely willing to cooperate."

"…Right. Go on."

"She has already revealed useful information to the Dai Li, which your leader wants to disclose to you as well. The whereabouts of two more imposters are now known."

"There are…more of them?" Yuhan asked faintly.

"Yes, sir," quickly replied the messenger. "Two highly dangerous members of the Fire Nation royalty, residing in the Upper Ring: General Iroh and Prince Zuko, wanted captive for treason against their country."

Dear Spirits…there were really that many imposters hanging out in the city, who just _happened _to be some of the most powerful Firebenders on earth? The agent inhaled a deep, somewhat raggedy breath to try taking it all in. "So – where in the Upper Ring…exactly…are they?" He'd been in this area of the city all day, and he couldn't picture the thought of passing by a pair of men from the Fire Nation Royal Family hidden somewhere among the citizens. The idea of the Fire Nation residing in the city at all was a little hard to grasp.

"They currently follow the aliases of 'Mushi' and 'Li,' and they disguise themselves as tea brewers in a shop called the Jasmine Dragon."

Yuhan felt his face lose color.

"Please await further instructions from your leader. That is all," finished the messenger with another bow. Yuhan gazed blankly after the boy as he ran off into the distance with his list.

_Mushi…? _The warm, compassionate old man and the infamous, Outer Wall-demolishing Fire Nation general were downright impossible to connect together.

At that very moment, the young Peace Orator decided once and for all that Ba Sing Se was truly nothing more than the City of Twists and Lies.

* * *

><p>AUTHOR'S NOTE: Don't hesitate to tell me anything I did wrong with characterization. I WANT to hear it! I tried my very best and I'll jump to it right away if anything is less than acceptable. Also, any critiques on the action would be appreciated, since I know that this fic tends to lack in that area as well. Thanks for reading!<p> 


	16. Foolproof

Found time to update again! It's - uh, a month and a half instead of 3 months this time! Oh yeaaa. School's started again and I barely found time to write this chapter, so dunno how updates will work out in the future.

I hope you guys enjoy this in the meantime. Canon time!

* * *

><p>As the days dragged on, Princess Azula became a common sight within headquarters. The Dai Li agents finally stopped jumping from shock whenever she casually strode past them – though they still shifted uncomfortably from the strange fear that her presence always evoked.<p>

"…Yeah, still not used to it." Hiroshu involuntarily swallowed a gulp as the princess threw an uninterested glance in his direction before pacing elsewhere, her sharp golden eyes flickering away into the shadows. "I get that we're supposed to be giving her group a temporary hideout until she finishes plotting with Long Feng," he continued, "but why does it always seem like she's…watching us?"

"She probably is," Yuhan murmured, his narrowed eyes gazing after the retreating figure. "She's good at getting into people's heads…"

_Ha…so are you. _Hiroshu was aware that his partner had been assigned as a backup to Long Feng's plan; in other words, he was the one who would convert the princess at the slightest hint of her betrayal. It was the most critical task he would ever have to carry out. That was probably why Yuhan currently looked like he was trying to understand those five seconds in which she'd just passed them. He needed time to think, to analyze, to predict…

But even so, there was something about Azula that Hiroshu sensed was difficult even for the famed converter of rebels. He'd never seen his partner pay _this_ much attention in preparation for anyone. It was as if each of the princess's appearances still wasn't enough for Yuhan to make a good guess – which only made her more mysterious and frightening, considering his conversion track record.

"Hopefully it doesn't get any worse when she actually starts talking to us," sighed the Orator. Despite his words, it seemed like he was actually _hoping_ she would talk soon - just for him to get a better idea of her character.

Hiroshu couldn't help but chuckle as he listened. Yuhan in his brainwashing analysis-mode was always amusing - intriguing, but still amusing. Gone was the socially awkward dummy whenever the phases started. And like always, it was a strange comparison to the perceptive, formidable agent that now stood beside him. Hiroshu was beginning to miss the awkwardness, though. It seemed to have disappeared permanently this time, ever since a certain conversion… The nagging feeling began to take hold of his chest once more, but Hiroshu quickly brushed it aside. For whatever reason, the kid was taking it a lot better now. No need to dwell on those days again. "Don't think about it," he decided to tell his partner, who still looked uneasy. "Once she talks, she'll probably never stop. Might as well enjoy the silence – but at any rate, it's good to see you back on track."

No reply. He should've seen it coming.

"…Anyway, seems like you're really looking forward to converting her!" added Hiroshu with a forced laugh. "Don't assume she'll _actually_ betray us, though. Loosen up a little – it's not like you'll fail, anyway. Why the perfectionist attitude?" The paranoia was written all over the kid's face.

Hiroshu was taken aback when his partner's expression suddenly dampened. Yuhan gazed over at him, a bitter smile slowly stretching across his pale face. "I'm not allowed to fail, remember?"

…Oh. His parents.

Hiroshu cringed at the thought of Long Feng forcing Yuhan to stand before his own mother and father in the chamber. That his partner had to face this kind of pressure for_ every _critical task was unthinkable. Being assigned as a backup, he realized, was more of a threat than it was an honor. "…You won't fail," Hiroshu finally declared. For the first time, he was filled with overwhelming pity instead of admiration as he addressed Long Feng's best Peace Orator. "It's never happened before, and it's not going to happen now. Don't doubt yourself," he finished firmly. _And don't make me doubt you, either…_

Another moment of silence. "…Thanks." Yuhan suddenly stalked away, the black folds of his uniform rustling quietly about his feet as he strode down the green-lit hall of the tomb. It was another one of his sudden needs to disappear into the shadows, as if he could just vanish from the world within seconds – something he'd done a lot after converting Riya.

Watching his gloomy partner, Hiroshu couldn't help questioning the system of their organization for the briefest second.

_Why are the most talented agents the most miserable? _

O/O

Yuhan sat silently atop a massive wooden beam, which stretched across the high ceiling of the Royal Palace's war room. Like many other agents, he'd been instructed to observe the Council of Five whenever he could. Both Azula and Long Feng demanded to be updated on Kuei's military plans – Azula for obvious reasons, and Long Feng for his usual need to know everything that went on.

Having given up on trying to figure out the Fire Nation princess, the young Orator had resorted to his eavesdropping duties – though he could care less what went on below. As he leaned back against the dull, connecting wall, he might've napped right at that instant. But his eyes were forced open out of fear of being discovered (and being punished by Long Feng). Still, it was nice break. He'd just needed some time outside of headquarters – and there was no possibility of running into _her_ up here.

"General Fong's base will serve as the launching point for the attack. In exactly two months, the army and navy will invade the Fire Nation on the Day of Black Sun."

Yuhan dully peered down at General How's tiny figure in the distance. He could make out the shape of the man's regal green cape as well as the black, neatly trimmed beard that stood out against his light skin. His large, ornate headpiece glinted brightly as he addressed Katara of the Water Tribe, who stood across from him. The young general accompanied two others around a massive table bearing a world map, their expressions as solemn and focused as Katara's.

How gave a sharp wave of his hand, causing a trio of flat, green rectangles of stone to glide across the map. Each of the pieces was carved with an Earth Kingdom emblem at its head. As the symbolic army came to a halt at the red boundaries of the Fire Nation, however, Katara's winged lemur suddenly swooped down upon the table. In a flash of white and brown, the impact caused all of the stone pieces to scatter. The creature's large ears were drawn back as it pounced, and its huge green eyes gazed curiously about. "Or we could send Momo in to do some damage!" laughed Katara. She paused when the three generals glared back in her direction. "…Sorry."

Her bright blue eyes always seemed optimistic, always cheerful even in the midst of an intense war meeting – in other words, nothing like Yuhan's. He almost scoffed at the irony. The enemy always seemed happier.

…Unless they weren't really the enemy?

With another sharp wave of his hand, General How repositioned the army pieces upright, and the lemur leapt back in fright. "All we need is the Earth King's seal in order to execute the plan," he finished. Placing the scroll in front of himself, he thrust an arm forward, causing the rock beneath the elegant parchment to separate from the rest of the table and sail towards Katara.

"I'll get these scrolls to him right away," she replied, taking the information into her hands. "Thank you."

Yuhan watched as she quickly left the room with the lemur perched on her shoulder, her long brown braid whipping out of sight. Sighing, he leaned back against the wall once more. Things were just messed up these days. The Avatar was supposed to be an enemy because he was against the Dai Li…who were now also an enemy. The agent was stuck in the midst of two problems: a group of children who would lead Ba Sing Se to certain death, and a twisted organization that preached about peace while the whole city hated them. He couldn't decide which was worse.

There was only Riya…and her lack of existence.

At least that part was clear. No matter how confusing things became, someone had to help her. That much he knew. That much was right. And…that much was impossible.

_But to try alone is never an impossibility._

Yuhan wanted to slap himself in the face as he continued to sit up there on the ceiling. Mushi's cursed optimism – or Iroh's – made it impossible to let go of Riya's situation. Fire Nation general or not, the old man's words still clung stubbornly to his mind…not to mention he still had to remind himself that Mu – _Iroh_ was even a Fire Nation general. Yuhan supposed that being influenced by the geezer felt better than doing nothing, but it didn't help that he still wasn't any closer to a solution.

He envied those brilliant blue eyes from earlier – the hopeful ones. The ones that somehow believed that everything was going to work out perfectly in the end. It seemed like more and more people were beginning to feel the same all over the world for some reason. Ba Sing Se's entire army was willing to go to war because of the influence of one child... Were they right? And who was wrong?

…No. That wasn't the true choice.

Riya – Joo Dee – was the only choice there was. Yuhan swallowed back another lump in his throat as the truth reestablished itself inside of his aching, hollow chest. Yes, she was the only choice that mattered. Joo Dee had no chance of being helped in the Dai Li. She was the very definition of their system. And though her recovery was already as likely as the dead returning to life, it was downright impossible as long as the organization thrived. But perhaps on the other hand…at least...

"Psst!"

A second agent was motioning at the Orator from atop another beam across the ceiling, though his hazy face was hardly distinguishable from the distance. Upon meeting Yuhan's gaze, he pointed towards the ground with a finger.

Having entered the room was the same messenger boy who'd informed the organization of Princess Azula's presence in the city. He was taking another roll of parchment from the two generals. As he folded an arm behind himself to bow, however, his hand gave a very sharp and subtle signal towards the agents above: a rigid index and middle finger, pointing straight towards the door behind him. Yuhan recognized the cue at once; everyone had been ordered to return to headquarters.

O/O

"It seems like they've finally finished plotting," Hiroshu remarked as the two partners shuffled along the dark hallways of headquarters with the rest of their organization.

Somewhere beyond the sea of pointed green hats, Yuhan could make out Azula's regal figure standing boldly at the front of the large clearing they were headed towards. Behind her were her two companion imposters, bearing golden headpieces and face paint in their armored green Kyoshi Warrior uniforms. Before they knew it, the patrol partners drew close enough to begin making out the details of Azula's pale face, her threatening golden eyes…

"You, there."

Yuhan froze. Her cold voice seemed to cut straight through the air, even in the midst of the constant shuffling all about him. Had she just addressed…him? He turned slowly towards the young Princess, while Hiroshu hurriedly rushed past them to join the other agents.

Dull emerald eyes met sharp golden ones. Both showed no hint of emotion as they faced one another, though the latter's gaze seemed to pierce through everything it touched. "You look tired." Azula's simple remark matched her expression, detached yet faintly amused. Her two sharp bangs hung down the sides of her smooth cheeks, stopping a few inches past her chin. The rest of the silky black strands were drawn high into a tight bun atop her head, having been secured by a thin green Earth Kingdom-themed ornament. Her entire outfit seemed like a sleek variation of the Dai Li uniform, from the shortened sleeves to the shining emblem glinting from her chest. Everything about her just seemed so precise, without a single hair out of place.

Yuhan made no reply as he gazed back at the princess, his stony expression unchanged. Her words held a motive, and it was best to avoid getting caught in them.

Azula only observed the ghastly shadows beneath his eyes with even more interest. Her pretense of curiosity was flawless – Yuhan wasn't even sure if it was a pretense at all, but he took no risks. "Having trouble with the demands of work, I assume?" she continued candidly. The other agents all fell silent as they watched.

"Yes, Princess Azula." Though his tone was steady, Yuhan grew more uncomfortable by the second. It seemed like the longer he stood before her, the worse it became. Was it a crime in her book to be tired? What was she trying to do?

"Tell me – are there more like you?" asked the princess, her sharp eyes gazing about the room. Every face that met hers turned away involuntarily.

Her gaze finally met his once more, and her penetrating eyes demanded his answer. _Don't lie,_ they warned. "…Yes, Princess." No answer seemed like the right one to Yuhan – even if he'd spoken the truth to her. He wanted to run and join the other agents more than anything else. He didn't like being in Azula's presence at all. It was so…ominous.

She scoffed a little. "Funny. I'd imagined Ba Sing Se's most elite group of Earthbenders to be in much better condition. Half of you look ready to drop dead." Once again, all eyes turned away as she scanned the room. "Does your leader look like you?" she asked, though her subtle smirk indicated that she already knew the answer.

"…No. Princess."

Azula folded her hands behind her back with a long sigh. "Well, I just felt the need to ask. You're free to go." As a relieved Yuhan strode away and took his place among the rows of agents, she added, "Perhaps my customs are not the same as yours, but I was under the impression that the elite would be just a _little_ more...pampered." All of the agents didn't move a muscle as they listened. "You see, the upper class of the Fire Nation is treated like royalty – with respect to the Fire Lord, of course. Even my most cowardly generals are showered with praise and spoiled every time they return home."

Yuhan stared back in disbelief. It had been a direct insult to the Dai Li's entire system. Could she be…suggesting…?

"And our leaders certainly don't leave any dirty work for the soldiers." Azula threw a disapproving glance about the room to emphasize whom she was referring to. "Both royalty and servants fight as one," she continued, her powerful voice echoing deep into the minds of the agents. It was hard to question her words; the fact that the Fire Nation princess was risking her own life in Ba Sing Se was proof enough. "Oh – and that's how we keep winning," she added with a smile. No one was able to make any response. "Like I said, though…I suppose things just work differently over here," she concluded dismissively with a shrug.

All of the eyes in the room seemed mesmerized by her words. Yuhan glanced slightly to his sides. Hiroshu's expression was no different. They were all recalling Long Feng's endless commands, his cold threats, and his continual exceptions to himself for all his harsh policies…

"Now, you have all been called here for a very critical meeting," Azula finally began, taking her stand in front of the dark organization. "While I can see that you have doubts about my alliance…" Yuhan shifted uncomfortably. "…the truth is that you will never come close to your former glory without my help. You will not be respected by your own city. You will be destroyed by those you call your own people." The room fell deathly silent as Azula casually listed each point as if it were a matter of fact. "If you don't want to cooperate with me," she continued, "we can all be slaughtered together in a couple of days. But if you're like _me_, who'd rather live and remove the fool of a king from his throne, you'll keep listening."

Everyone listened.

"Your time is limited, and we'll have to work together for any hope of survival," Azula went on, her voice engulfing the room in its authority. "Therefore a coup has been planned for you to regain control of your city."

Many of the agents flinched at such a notion. A coup against Ba Sing Se's entire military, and against Avatar Aang's thousand supporters? Was that her idea of survival?

"This is not the time for doubt," declared the princess, as if addressing all of their consciences. "I'm sure you're all aware of your approaching downfall. The Earth King and the Council of Five do not trust the Dai Li. They imprisoned your leader, Long Feng. Soon they will turn on all of you – and eliminate you. Seizing power today is a matter of life and death." Her words seemed to remind the organization of their bleak situation, and their fear of such elimination quickly overcame all else.

On the contrary, Yuhan's eyes were beginning to grow sharper, their dullness suddenly fading away. There was a pattern that he was beginning to sense in her speech. It was also in the way she carried herself about, and the way she held a chillingly natural authority over them all…

Azula finally revealed the details of the grand scheme. "This coup must be swift and decisive. The Earth King and each of the five generals must be taken out simultaneously." Without a single pause, she declared, "Long Feng has placed you in my command while we overthrow the government."

Yuhan swallowed. Her statement had sunken in so effortlessly. Indeed, there was a pattern…and he was beginning to dread what it was.

The Fire Nation princess began to pace slowly along the front row of agents, who grew petrified enough not to breathe. Yuhan was thankful not to be anywhere near her sight. "If I sense any disloyalty, any hesitation, any weakness at all…" Azula came to a stop in front of poor Tao, who stood out because of the recent scar marking his face – a usual result of unmet expectations. "…I will snuff it out." Her searing eyes glared right into his as she finished, and it was a miracle that he didn't topple over as soon as she turned away. "That is all."

No one needed to be told twice. The dark organization filed their way out of the room as quickly as possible without losing their synchronization. Some naturally began to scatter from their rows as they rearranged into a single file line at the door, however, and Yuhan took the chance to seek out his patrol partner. That pattern was bothering him – he needed to tell _someone_. Anyone.

Hiroshu's expression seemed oddly passive even while he nodded a little in greeting. As they finally made it through the door, leaving the vast room behind them, a few faint traces of conversation could be heard in the distance.

"_Nice speech…also scary in a good way…" _

"_Thought you were going to make that one guy pee his pants…" _

"_Still a few loose ends…and my brother and Uncle…" _

Overhearing the Fire Nation natives, Yuhan raised a brow at his partner, who silently mouthed "Yikes!" in return. When they'd finally gone far enough to scatter from the rest of the organization, Hiroshu let out a long sigh of relief. "Spirits, I've never felt so much pressure in my life!" he exclaimed. "The princess sure knows how to run her business. Even now she's still plotting ahead. Must be a Fire Nation thing."

Observing Hiroshu only made Yuhan suspect his dreadful conclusion even more. He slowly made his reply. "At least she's effective…" Each syllable was chosen carefully. "For as long as she cooperates, that is."

His partner seemed taken aback, as if he'd forgotten that she was supposed to be _their_ subject.

"At least I have an idea of what she wants to do now," continued the Peace Orator, his stomach sinking with every one of Hiroshu's reactions. "She's confident – _too_ confident. And she has good reason to be. That plan…"

Yuhan suddenly paused because of a horrible jolt from inside his chest, even while Hiroshu was listening intently. He was supposed reflect on how Azula had made herself much more appealing than Long Feng, and that she'd proven her superiority as a leader by conjuring up such a flawless plan while he'd landed himself in prison. He was also supposed to explain that, because of those things, the Dai Li would naturally follow her after being led to success – and that she was expecting it.

That was exactly the problem. The plan _was_ flawless.

There was no one in the city that could foresee the downfall of the government, not even the Avatar. They would seize the throne. They would be victorious. They, the Dai Li, would be victorious. And they would thrive.

Joo Dee would thrive.

Yuhan finally realized where his choice would lead him. The Dai Li could not succeed. It didn't matter where the solution was. They had to lose – and Riya had to live.

Hiroshu was naturally puzzled when his partner sprinted off in a mad rush.

O/O

His hands trembling, Yuhan frantically dug about the shelves of the nearest workroom in headquarters for a working ink set and parchment. He quickly straightened out the paper and took a last glance around to make sure no one was in sight. But at any rate, it would've appeared to any other agent that he was simply writing a letter home. No one hung around the workrooms that often, either.

All of the adrenaline and hurried planning pulsed through his veins. An agent conversing with the enemy without permission would be suspected immediately. But there was certainly nothing wrong with carrying a letter within his sleeve. No one had questioned those hundred other times he'd casually scribbled onto a scroll and stuffed it into his pocket, having been ordered by Long Feng himself. And no one would be surprised to see him eavesdropping in the war room, with the letter precariously close to the Council of Five.

Yuhan took a deep breath as he defied all his natural instincts to stay within the policies of the Dai Li. Azula's plan was foolproof – but only under the assumption that no agent was going to disagree. And she was right; they _didn't_ have any reason to stray. No matter who led them, this plan was going to raise them to glory and secure their power over the city.

But only he had Riya.

It all sounded so easy in his head, even though he was painfully aware that Joo Dee would probably stay just the way she was in the end. Yuhan knew what his own talents in the conversion chamber could do. But this was the only possible – no, a solution was impossible. This was the only way to _try_. He hadn't changed the identities of hundreds of rebels in the name of peace just to hand Ba Sing Se over to the Fire Nation. He hadn't erased the one he loved from the world just for it to end like this. No, the Spirits themselves would have to stop him from trying –

_SHING! _

The flash of metal caused Yuhan to whip his head around at once. Before the shock could even register in his body, however, he was met with a petrifying image.

Delicate hands. Smooth skin. Auburn hair. Hazel eyes. Wide, hollow hazel eyes. With the gleam of the polished dagger being the only light reflecting inside them. The noise had come from the moment she'd unsheathed the blade – and there it was, pressed firmly against her own neck as her face remained completely indifferent.

Yuhan never felt himself charge from the desk when her hand began to pull against the handle. He was unaware of the moment in which his body collided forcefully against hers, or when his stone-covered fingers wrenched their way beneath the blade before it could press any further. He only knew the instant in which he finally freed the dagger from her digging fingers and when it flew far, far away from her.

He was going to die right then and there. Blood – _her_ _blood_ – was still staining the tips of his glove. The world was falling apart around them. Unable to hold solid ground, Yuhan grasped helplessly at her shoulders with his wilted arms. He couldn't bring himself to even look…

His eyes widened. Had the Spirits shown mercy? She still stood. Her body hadn't fallen beneath the weight of his arms. There was life holding it up. Slowly, Yuhan lifted his face to meet hers. A thin trickle of red still stood out against her neck…from a cut. A shallow wound. Yes, those hollow, unrecognizable eyes were still peering curiously at him as if nothing happened – but they were alive.

Yuhan felt the relief shaking his body as he dropped his head once again, even if it was a heartbroken, unshared relief. He finally gathered whatever was left of his strength to speak. "Riya -" He bit down hard on his lip as the hot tears threatened to sear through his eyes. "_Joo Dee_," he choked. "What…are you…doing?"

She only gazed back with the same blank expression, her hazel eyes blinking quietly.

It was a deliberate silence. "_Who ordered you?"_ the agent began to demand, his voice cracking. "Why did you try to…?" He couldn't finish the sentence. The bitter relief slowly began growing into livid rage when he only received the same response. His hands tightened their grip around her small shoulders. "_Why were you ordered to do this? _I'm – _I'm giving you a command!_" His dampened eyes did nothing to change her vacant expression as she remained silent.

Breathing heavily, Yuhan felt his chest tearing apart as he forced each word to escape its grasp. "_Joo…Dee._ The Earth King has…invited you to Lake Laogai."

A moment of silence. "I am honored to accept his invitation." Her mouth stretched wide into a grin, though he'd already turned his eyes away before he could see.

"On what orders did you act just now?" His hands shook just as much as his voice.

Joo Dee smiled even wider. "Agent Tsen is to remain loyal to the Dai Li until Earth King Kuei descends from the throne. I am honored to be chosen to reinforce his loyalty."

All of the color drained from Yuhan's face. "So…you've been ordered to…_watch me?_"

"Yes, sir." The grin was straining her cheekbones, pulling apart all the muscles in her face.

"And you'll – you'll take your own life…if I act outside of orders…is that it?" His eyes grew hollow when she nodded cheerfully in response. He had to force himself to keep speaking. "Let me guess…I have no authority to change that order."

She laughed. "Sir Long Feng's word is supreme," she declared, more enthusiastically than ever.

Of course it was. That was one of the first rules he'd been required to implant into every rebel he converted. However, a sudden realization hit him. "Are you supposed to report this to him?"

"I was attempting to, sir."

Yuhan gritted his teeth as the pang stabbed through his body. Long Feng had meant for her dead body to be the report. Now that he thought about it, that report would have gone through if the agent had acted a split second late. The nerve of that man... Despite everything, however, Yuhan forced himself to think as clearly as possible. Curse it all – he'd been the one to convert her, hadn't he? If Long Feng wanted to play this game… "Well Joo Dee, there's no need for you to report anything now," declared the agent, though he still stumbled over her name.

She didn't believe him.

He sighed and closed his eyes for a moment. "…The Earth King has invited you to Lake Laogai."

"…I am honored to accept his invitation."

Yuhan forced himself to take one last, long gaze into her hazel eyes. "I, Agent Yuhan Tsen, am completely and undeniably loyal to the Dai Li. I have never acted against orders and never will."

Her pupils grew wide as they glazed over. "I understand."

"Good. Please…go tend to your wound. Make sure your scarf always conceals it." He thought about it for a moment. "And you didn't speak with me today. Dismissed." Indeed, only Agent Yuhan Tsen could make anyone believe whatever he pleased. And his heart bled.

The folds her pale yellow dress finally faded away into the endless green of headquarters as she left. Yuhan watched with his broken eyes as he quietly reflected on how similar she still looked from the back.

He could not remove the order, since he'd permanently instilled the rules himself. He'd only been able to prevent the report from being sent…at least this time. The overwhelming helplessness of his situation seemed to swallow the entire workroom as he stood there in the silence. Just like Long Feng had ordered, Yuhan could not do a single thing to prevent the coup until the Earth King fell from his throne. She would be watching.

And until Ba Sing Se fell…Azula's plan was foolproof.

* * *

><p>...<p>

...

A/N: So how'd I do on the Fire Nation princess? It was kind of hard!


	17. Fire and Earth

Huzzah, I've been DYING to update for so long! This semester in school has just been pure torture, I tell you... But after a road trip and a day of no internet, I got to spend lots of quality time with Microsoft Office!

Anyhow, this chapter was loads of fun to write. 'Nuff said. Hope y'all like it!

* * *

><p>Yuhan shot forth from his dull sheets with a jolt, his chest heaving, his eyes leaking. A second later, however, he slumped over on his elbows. His face grew dim as he let out a wistful sigh. It was the same as usual.<p>

For sleeping was a nightmare, always. To stay awake was a luxury. The second he lost consciousness every night, the Peace Orator would see everything that plagued his entire life…and worse. There were times when a haggard, bone-thin old man would appear. He would say nothing, but begin to laugh instead. The manic sound would only grow worse as Yuhan stared back with hollow eyes, having finally lost what he'd taken from others for so many years. He'd stand there limply in the face of his judgment, as the old man's vengeful promise rang truer than ever through the air: "_You'll pay for everything…" _

Also as always, however, sleep contained the last traces of happiness. Because, for a fleeting moment…he would see her again. The meeting was anything but joyful, and an average person wouldn't have even associated it with happiness – but she was there. Standing just beyond his grasp, Riya was always there. Her soft eyes would gaze into his in silence, her smooth hair seeming to wisp away into the air as it flowed down her back. He would stare back, choking to find the right words as his vision blurred, his lower lip trembling. The broken, insufficient apology would linger in the air, and he always faltered in the face of her flawless presence.

Then…she would smile. It wrung his entire chest, from the very center to the edges of his lungs, as her hazel eyes glistened. Her lips would curve up ever so gently, with all the tender love that he knew he didn't deserve. It was the same, last smile she'd ever given him, the one that had vanished before the glow of the yellow lantern. And his eyes would begin to leak.

…And then of course, she would keep smiling. It would slowly begin stretching wider and wider as he stared back, her eyelids cracking open as her pupils dilated. A blink later, and Riya was gone again. As always, Yuhan was lurched back into excruciating consciousness as soon as Joo Dee, grinning dementedly, would begin to laugh. But even as he swiped fiercely across his eyes with a hand, his chest heaving, part of him longed to return to horrifying sleep just to see her smile again.

It was the same as usual.

O/O

Yuhan emerged slowly from his dorm, shaking off the last remnants of the scarring images from his nightmare. Gazing down the endless, dim green passage ahead, he let out a slow breath as his fingers habitually curled around the little band of leather strips circling his wrist. After tracing over the smooth, symbolic discs for a few seconds, he finally strode forward.

Like always, it seemed like he barely had enough energy to start the day. The nightmares were starting to become dangerous, especially after his revelation that Joo Dee had become her own obstacle to recovery. He had to make sure to maintain a firm grip on reality, and sometimes the only thing keeping his mind from deteriorating was the faint vision of Riya's smile, coupled with the fact that he alone had any chance of bringing it back. Clinging even tighter to his bracelet, however, Yuhan wearily pondered if trying was even an option anymore. Of course, there was no way in all of Koh's Realm that he could allow her to keep living like this, a mindless puppet that danced for Long Feng's amusement…but the painful truth was that things couldn't possibly be worse right now.

The city was already falling at this very moment. The entire organization, like Yuhan, happened to be stalking through the dark passageways of headquarters. Azula had called them all to a meeting, where the first group would be assigned to accompany her for the start of the plan. Each assigned section of the organization would be in charge of retrieving a special prisoner - and this first division would tackle the two Fire Nation royals, General Iroh and Prince Zuko.

...

"You, you, you….anddd you." With a dismissive flick of her wrist, Azula finished her selection as she pointed to Hiroshu, the last member to accompany her. He and Yuhan had unfortunately been standing in the section of the crowd that the princess broke off to become her personal group of soldiers. Avoiding her eyes, Yuhan had to resist sighing in front of her as he lined up with the rest of his team. He was in no mood to be anywhere near "Mushi" at the moment, much less try to capture him. Even if the old man's words had affected him once, Yuhan still felt slightly betrayed that his acquaintance had turned out to be a ruthless Fire Nation general... Actually, he didn't even know what to think of Iroh at the moment. If he was who he was, then why had he randomly encouraged Yuhan not to give up on Riya? The puzzled agent couldn't think of any ulterior motive from the gesture that would possibly benefit the old brewer. And surely an Outer Wall-demolishing Fire Nation general would have a less - er - _caring _demeanor than that? Well...then again, Azula had mentioned something about treachery...but then again, the princess seemed like someone who often lied, so…

"Whatcha thinking about?"

Yuhan faced his patrol partner with a jolt as they marched slowly behind the princess along with the rest of their group. Hiroshu seemed to be checking on him as usual, just to make sure he wasn't starting to wallow in his misery over Riya. It was thoughtful of him, but unnecessary at the moment. Yuhan shrugged rather irritably. "Nothing."

Hiroshu didn't believe him of course, but he only rolled his eyes in response and decided to drop the subject. Good. Yuhan wasn't in the mood for any pestering. Actually, he didn't feel like talking to anyone in general. His strange, irritable state of mind was mixed somewhere between bitterness and anxiety; the former because he was currently being forced to help the Dai Li overthrow Ba Sing Se, and the latter because he was still about to face two terrifyingly powerful Firebenders, regardless of his confusion over any motives.

"They've arrived, princess."

Lifting his face to see under his hat, Yuhan observed a young messenger in the distance bowing to Azula. Though the group had barely taken two steps towards the exit of headquarters, the boy had run all the way down here just to confirm the news. Azula hardly seemed to acknowledge his presence, only smirking ever so slightly in response. "Perfect." Without further ado, she proceeded to stride past the messenger, causing the crowd of dark green behind her to shuffle along. Well, this must have meant that her brother and uncle had taken the bait she'd sent their way, something about serving tea to the Earth King, if Yuhan recalled correctly… With a sudden throb shooting through his head, however, he decided it was best not to strain his sleep-deprived mind by musing over it. Spirits, he was going to lose track of all the schemes going on at this rate…. He was tired of it all.

The weary agent faintly wondered how it was even possible that he'd been so dedicated to the organization back then. Even during his better days, it seemed like he was forever stuck someplace he didn't really want to be, following someone's orders word for word with the alternative of a traumatizing penalty... Yuhan sighed as he tried to ignore the fact that he was still being followed somewhere in the distance by a quiet young woman, dressed neatly in yellow. Thinking too deeply about it would just remind him of other horrible things, such as how she could become collateral damage to any future battles if her spying brought her too close, or how Long Feng could always instill another terrible condition to Yuhan's loyalty without his knowing, which could all very well lead to some awful and heartbreaking discovery of…of… With another reflexive grab of his bracelet, the young agent forced the paranoia from his body with a shudder, snapping his eyes shut for a second and fiercely reminding himself to keep it together. How much longer could he take all of this?

When would it ever end?

O/O

_"What's taking so long…?"_

Their voices were growing too close for his liking. Yuhan glumly took note of the brightness approaching from the spacious, decorated lounge ahead. It was the only lit area in King Kuei's private luxury house at the moment.

Strange how he and his group had arrived here so fast with Azula. Hadn't all those mundane errands for Long Feng always taken years to complete, when traveling from headquarters to the Upper Ring? This trip had covered the same distance in what seemed like minutes; he must have truly been dreading the confrontation, then.

"_Maybe the Earth King overslept." _Well, Iroh was definitely there. The name still sounded foreign in Yuhan's mind, and he had to force himself not to revert to "Mushi" again out of habit.

Step by step, each agent finally marched his way into the lounge. Yuhan began to make a mental list of every other place in the world he would rather be at the moment, as the two Firebenders came into plain view. They were kneeling before a polished table on the floor, in the middle of an elegant golden carpet. A few feet ahead was the array of silk green drapes that framed the large, embellished chair in which the Earth King would supposedly sit soon.

No matter what he'd heard about them, Yuhan was unable to see anyone other than Mushi and Li as he followed the line of agents approaching the little table. They were dressed in their fine Upper Ring outfits, poised to serve high-quality tea like they'd always done. "Dangerous Firebenders" simply refused to register in his mind...which wasn't a good thing if he was supposed to be prepared for attack.

"Something's not right…" murmured the Fire Nation prince, glancing apprehensively towards his uncle. He'd picked up the obvious signs of the trap, now that all of the agents surrounded the table in a perfect circle. Time seemed to freeze for a split second, in which the Fire Nation fugitives and Dai Li agents observed each another in complete silence, though the latter kept their gazes low beneath the shadowy brims of their hats.

"It's tea time!" Azula's condescending voice effectively cut through the silence with its terrifying authority, as always. She'd waited to enter the room last, as if to worsen the impact of her family members' discovery of the trap. Yuhan couldn't help noticing how she positioned herself a little too comfortably before the chair that had been meant for King Kuei.

Prince Zuko sprang to his feet immediately, the glaring red scar on his face intensifying his angered reaction. "Azula!" he exclaimed, with such hostility that one may have questioned whether or not he was really her older brother. True, there was a striking similarity in their physical appearances – but that was about it.

"Have you met the Dai Li?" the princess merely asked, her chillingly calm voice contrasting sharply with that of her brother's. "They're Earthbenders, but they have a killer instinct that's _so_ Firebender. I just love it." The surrounding agents fell strangely silent – well, more silent than they already were.

Seriously, was he the only one picking up on the flagrant, carefully planned appeals to their egos? Yuhan had noticed for quite a while now that the little compliments were growing frequent, and he wouldn't have been surprised if Azula had convinced over half the Dai Li by now that they were more than welcome to join the Fire Nation, where they would be loved and glorified by all. The way they completely bought into it was annoying, infuriating even. But then again…he was most likely the only member in the organization who really had a problem against it.

Iroh was the next to respond. His calm demeanor was less cold than Azula's, yet somehow equally dangerous. There was just something unsettling in the way he slowly took into his fingers one of the steaming cups of tea from the table. Raising the expensive, porcelain brim towards his lips, he faced the princess with a little more indication of family than Zuko, almost as if he were simply addressing a young and delightful niece. "Did I ever tell you how I got the nickname 'the Dragon of the West?'" he mused.

Though the words didn't seem to match his Earth Kingdom-oriented appearance, there was no mistaking the surety in his tone, which had taken on a strange quality that Yuhan had never heard before. So Mushi really was the infamous General Iroh of the Fire Nation. The young agent braced himself.

Azula looked ready to roll her eyes as she gave a nonchalant wave of her hand. "I'm not interested in a lengthy anecdote, Uncle."

Iroh's golden irises glinted strangely for a briefest moment. "It's more of a demonstration, really…" He began to take a long, deep sip of tea from the steaming cup in his hand.

…Demonstration?

It all registered a little too late. The world around Yuhan exploded almost instantly into a brilliant flash of oranges and yellows, and his arms involuntarily flailed to shield his face as he hunched over in the midst of the burning-hot air. As his vision shot towards the ground, he could make out the sea of flames dancing crazily about the circle of agents, who were all reacting similarly to the sudden assault. It was only when the direction of the blast had shifted away from him that he could trace the attack to Iroh, who was actually spouting the flames from his mouth – very much indeed like a dragon.

By the time the fazed group of agents regained their composure, the two Fire Nation fugitives were already well on their way out of the room. The agents standing closest to them, however, were quick to react. They charged after Iroh and Zuko, immediately firing all of the bullet-like pieces of their gloves to potentially slow them as the rest of the group quickly followed. Everything around Yuhan became a great, chaotic mess of dark green uniforms and shattering noises as his fellow agents frantically tried to pin down their prisoners. One noise, however, suddenly boomed above the rest with frightening volume. It was an earsplitting, high-pitched series of crackles, almost like...no, it _was _lightning.

When Yuhan and the rest of his team staggered into the hallway that the two fugitives had fled down, the aftermath of that final noise was showing conspicuously in the huge, gaping hole lying ahead. It was so wide that the entire scenery outside, sky and all, could be seen plainly beyond its smoking border. Yuhan involuntarily swallowed. The rumors about the sheer power of royal Firebenders did no justice; it was even more overwhelming in real life. It was most terrifying, however, because it began to trigger the worst of his paranoia. Joo Dee couldn't have been standing close by, could she? Could she…?

_No – stop it. Focus. FOCUS! _

Yuhan gritted his teeth as he wrenched his attention back towards reality, where the angry figure of Prince Zuko was standing in plain view. Iroh was nowhere in sight, but seeing as his nephew was positioned conspicuously before the gaping hole in the wall, the old man must have escaped first.

Azula stood before the crowd of agents ahead, who were all quickly arranging themselves into an organized array in preparation for attack. Yuhan was able to get a spot a good distance away from the two royals, but close enough to still be able to make out their faces. He hoped that he wouldn't actually have to take part in the offense. There were more than enough agents ahead of him to take care of it, anyhow. Despite being skilled at Firebending, Zuko just didn't seem like the type to be able to catch the group off guard as his uncle had; he was always far too angry to think that rationally. Even now, his pale face was contorted in a horrible scowl as he faced his sister, and it was apparent that he'd stayed behind without looking realistically at the circumstances.

His sister seemed to have expected this, judging from her amused, always-patronizing tone. "You're so dramatic," she remarked, standing comfortably before her personal army of emerald-robed soldiers. "What, are you going to challenge me to an Agni Kai?" A fire duel. Yuhan had heard of those before…along with some of their gruesome outcomes. For some reason, the thought made him feel more thankful for being an Earthbender.

"Yes! I challenge you!" Zuko shouted, appearing even more peeved at the princess's continual disregard of him.

In just one, smug smile, Azula sent back countless vibes of mockery and disrespect before she even opened her mouth to speak. It was almost amazing, in a twisted way. "No thanks," she replied with a little shrug, which only seemed to worsen the effect. Indeed, only the Fire Nation would produce siblings like these. Yuhan had never seen anything like it.

Zuko didn't seem too keen on accepting her answer. Yuhan couldn't see much between the mass of agents standing in front of him, but a bright blaze soon lit up the room ahead, indicating that the Fire Nation prince had begun to attack. The agent saw his arms lifting high into the air before thrusting forward in one, massive push, followed by an almost explosive noise as the orange and yellow energy flared in Azula's direction.

She didn't move a muscle. Instead, two agents nearby immediately sprang into action. In a swift blur of dark green, they leapt before the princess and gave a synchronized shove of their arms. A thick, perfectly rectangular slab cut itself from the ground below and rose to shield Azula just as her brother's blast of flames crashed and dispersed against it. A few seconds later, and at least three pairs of gloves had been fired at Zuko. Virtually all of his limbs were pinned uselessly to the ground as he yelled in rage. It was all over very quickly.

Azula casually made her way back between the agents, passing Yuhan by a couple of feet as she strode. Her back turned, she pointed aimlessly at various agents to deliver a few, dismissive instructions. "You and you, go drop my brother off with the Water Tribe peasant in the Crystal Catacombs." Hiroshu gave a very subtle sigh shortly after her finger pointed in his direction, glancing at Yuhan for a moment before making his way towards Zuko. "You and you, follow me back to headquarters." The next pair of agents broke from the crowd to line up behind the princess. "The rest of you can go find my uncle," she finished plainly.

As Azula and the two chosen pairs of agents left the scene, the remaining crowd immediately began leaping from the massive hole in the wall, towards the ground below. Yuhan trailed behind them with much less zeal.

O/O

This was strangely the most peaceful time period of his day. Yuhan strolled about the Upper Ring with no real direction in mind. His instructions were to find Iroh, who could technically be anywhere; it wasn't as if Joo Dee could tell whether or not he was actually trying. Instead, the agent found himself examining the exquisite scenery around him with much more interest than he should, stopping a few times to observe a magnificent fountain of water or a perfectly trimmed array of rosebushes. Though he felt pity for Hiroshu, he was actually glad to have some time to himself. No patrol partner meant that no one would be constantly questioning his sanity…and even if Hiroshu was his closest friend, he was still a loyal member of the Dai Li. He would've started lecturing Yuhan's behavior if he were here.

Right as the tired agent allowed himself to relax, however, the peace instantly came to a halt when he heard a speedy pair of footsteps approaching from behind. Yuhan slowly turned around, only to see that Tao was running frantically towards him, his emerald robes flapping through the air. On another day, the Peace Orator would've been more concerned about what was bothering the new recruit, but right now he only felt irritation towards his unwanted company.

"Yuhan!" Tao huffed as he came to a stop next to the tired agent. "I-I'm glad to find you here…"

Yuhan tried to reply as civilly as possible. "Hey, Tao! Good to see you, too. Is something up?"

"Um…not really," the new recruit replied sheepishly. His dark brown eyes grew downcast. "It's just… I feel like I'll screw up something else if I'm around the other agents." Yuhan raised a brow. "And you're – well, you always seem to do everything right! So I thought it might help me if I searched for General Iroh with someone…like you. If that's okay…"

Despite everything, the Peace Orator couldn't help feeling a sudden twinge of pity. Tao had indeed suffered a good number of screw-ups in recent times. No one knew exactly how he'd butchered Long Feng's instructions a few weeks ago, but he'd staggered away from the Cultural Minister's office with a huge gash in his face; the stitched scar was still prominent on his right cheek. And to make things worse, Azula had basically called him out as the weak one during her terrifying speech the other day, practically leaving him with a death threat. It was understandable if Tao was a little terrified of losing face now. Yuhan felt his irritation slowly dying down. "'Course it's okay!" he replied with a slight smile. "But let's just hope that I don't have to cover for you. Better for us to stay off the crazy princess's bad side, right?"

Yuhan's laugh was so empty that he was sure anyone could tell he hated his organization, but it somehow worked on Tao. The new recruit immediately brightened as he nodded quickly. "Thanks," he sighed in relief. "I don't know what I'd do without all your help… You've always been really friendly – I appreciate it." Yuhan shrugged lightly as he brushed the statement aside with a hand. "And you've always been so good with the organization, too…" Tao went on wistfully. It looked like he had tried to smile, but he was too down about his situation to go through with it.

The famed Peace Orator very slowly looked over at the new recruit, his sullen face bearing the slightest hint of skepticism. "It's not all that great, you know. Doing everything 'right.'" His eyes were overshadowed by the brim of his hat as Tao gazed back questioningly. "You do better, so Long Feng expects better. And when you do worse…he'll also do worse to you." It was all Yuhan could do not to think of Riya at that moment, lest Tao – or worse, Joo Dee – see him lose it completely in public and spew out all his hate towards the Cultural Minister.

Nonetheless, Tao could sense the darkened mood, and he grew quiet. "I hadn't thought of it that way," he said softly.

"Well – in the end I'm not really different from you," mused the Peace Orator. "Don't mess up, and nothing bad happens. We all have it the same."

"Yeah…" agreed the new recruit. "But – I just wish I could learn to mess up as rarely as you."

Yuhan laughed for real this time. One mess-up on his part had been enough to throw his entire world into turmoil. "Nah, trust me…you're fine." He couldn't keep the slightly sour edge from hardening his voice, but thankfully Tao didn't notice. "You really don't have to worry," he continued. "Instead of being a traumatizing punishment-target like me, the best thing is honestly for you not to draw attention to yourself. Learn from the other agents to work efficiently, and stay in a group where you won't stick out. But don't hesitate if you're asked to do something. Just be confident. You'll be as good an agent as any."

Tao seemed puzzled by the unconventional advice, as most agents strived to win Long Feng's favor. Since he'd always looked up to Yuhan, however, the words did appear to have some impact. "Okay. Thanks…" The new recruit didn't seem to have anything else to say, and the two walked for a few moments in silence.

A new thought suddenly occurred to Yuhan. The chances were slim, but still… "Speaking of staying close to the other agents," he began, "maybe it's actually a better idea for us to try sticking around them right now." He went on before Tao could protest. "Azula didn't send such a big group after Iroh for no reason… If we were to run into him by any chance, two of us might not be enough to –"

General Iroh himself didn't allow him to finish the sentence. Perfectly on cue, a terrifying streak of light stabbed right between the two startled agents, causing them to leap away in opposite directions. It split open the ground with a blinding explosion, accompanying a thousand high-pitched crackles that seemed to rattle the entire world.

Yuhan and Tao continued to reel away from the deadly lightning as its remaining branches clawed out threateningly from the ground, both of them too alarmed to notice Iroh jumping down from the polished roof of the house nearby. The Firebender landed swiftly a few feet in front of them, causing Tao to give a loud yelp of terror. Yuhan was quicker to regain his composure, however, and it seemed like he was the only agent to register that Iroh was about to burn them to a crisp if they didn't act soon. The Fire Nation general had already shot both arms towards them to release another overwhelming burst of flame. The energy seemed to come to life in his very hands – the most well-known and feared characteristic of Firebenders – as if materializing from thin air before shooting forth with alarming speed. Yuhan forced his body to react, protecting both himself and a petrified Tao as he threw his fists above his head.

Shortly after rising from the ground, the earthen wall exploded as soon as it met the flames, sending heavy fragments whizzing in all directions. Yuhan and Tao found themselves shielding their faces from what had been their own form of protection.

Iroh continued to shoot endless waves of fire in their direction, with each shove of his arms accompanied by a step forward as they frantically dodged. He was beginning to draw closer and closer to them at an unsettling rate, which only seemed to frighten Tao even more. Flailing his arms, the new recruit was desperately throwing up little barriers of stone with each blast, and each of them barely held long enough for the flames not to boil his face before exploding into thousands of tiny earth fragments.

On the other hand, Yuhan dived low to avoid the flames, rolling over on the ground as another massive wave of them seared the air a few inches above his head. When he'd flipped right side-up again, he followed the momentum to swing his fist hard against the earth below. With a deep rumble, the impact followed all the way through to Iroh's feet, and the sharp force sent the general's body flying high into the air.

Even as he soared above the earth however, Iroh seemed to regain control of himself instantly, turning his body through the air to continue shooting at the agents below. A shower of raging fireballs rained down upon the ground, with each burst produced by his alternating punches. Yuhan jumped wildly here and there to dodge them as each dug its own crater in the earth. Several feet away, Tao raised a sort of dome out of the ground with a terrified wave of his arms, which he took cover beneath in the midst of the ear-splitting explosions.

How Iroh could produce so many flames in such a short time, Yuhan had no idea. Having been occupied by his panicked dodging, he didn't even realize that the general had landed on the ground again until he suddenly found himself face to face with the blazing, golden irises. In that briefest second, Iroh's eyes widened ever so slightly as the recognition of his acquaintance dawned over his aged face, his raised hand paused in mid-attack. However, Yuhan's own eyes quickly snapped out of their terror in response, and time lurched onward again as he flung his fist forward. The stone shape of his hand barely missed by a few millimeters as the general twisted his face to the side, and Yuhan took the chance to run.

He had to get back to Tao before the new recruit ended up getting himself killed a few moments. Spiraling his arms about his body, Yuhan immediately sank deep below as the ground quickly loosened apart. Inside the earth, he could faintly sense the weight of the two figures above and twisted himself towards the lighter one, or Tao, as he swiftly controlled the current around him. However, he soon noticed with a jolt that the heavier figure was quickly closing the distance between the two, and decided to change directions instead.

The Peace Orator reemerged in a flurry of earth a few feet behind Iroh's back. He was supposed to launch a sort of surprise attack – until he became distracted by the fact that the old man had somehow managed to tie up Tao in his own chains already. The new recruit had apparently tried to utilize his handcuffs on the general…which Yuhan could see led to the worst of backfires. Lying helplessly on the ground, Tao was rendered useless as Iroh quickly sensed Yuhan's presence and turned around.

It was the strangest of pauses, as the two old acquaintances faced each other once more. For some reason, Iroh didn't attack. And for some reason, neither did Yuhan. The latter had begun to realize something, while the former seemed to know what it was. It was now clear to Yuhan that Iroh had meant to take a captive this entire time; he could've easily killed either one of them with his ambush of lightning at the start of the battle, after all. Looking at the situation more closely, it was pretty clear why he'd need a prisoner, too: only the Dai Li would know where his captured nephew was stowed away. But there was something else that came with the circumstances. A prisoner taken from the Dai Li meant a leakage of information to someone who wasn't supposed to receive it. And any leakage of information, regardless of the recipient, was a good thing for the city right now. Perhaps it would even reveal Azula's coup. Perhaps…the Dai Li could be stopped early.

Right as the last thought dawned over Yuhan's face, Iroh suddenly gave the subtlest of smiles, his golden eyes twinkling as his hand slowly raised to prepare another flame. The unspoken message clicked immediately; both of them knew that in order for a prisoner to be taken successfully without drawing the attention of the whole organization, said prisoner's comrade had to have failed to help – and then fail to tell the rest of the Dai Li about it.

_Sorry, Tao._

Yuhan pushed off against the ground as hard as he could, while an enormous explosion of fire simultaneously shot right at his face. What Tao witnessed was a terrible impact, having hit hard enough to send his fellow agent's body flying straight over a tiled roof ahead and out of sight. "Yuhan!" he cried out despairingly.

…

It was long enough now, he believed. With his eyes shut, Yuhan had been lying there for several dragging minutes, motionless on the ground where he'd landed. Because, no matter how stupid and staged this was…Joo Dee had to see his actions as loyalty. She was around here somewhere, he knew.

He slowly sat up, wincing horribly in artificial pain as he rubbed his head. Now to think of the kind of statement that would keep her from doing anything crazy… Yuhan looked around with dazed eyes, as if he had no idea where he was. "What…happened?" he wondered out loud, his sluggish voice extremely exaggerated. There. Now she could plainly see that he'd been knocked out cold enough to forget about the whole incident, and that he couldn't help it if no one knew about Tao's capture.

Yep, that ought to have done it. Yuhan staggered to his feet and pretended to limp away from the scene, almost feeling for the first time that Riya was somewhere nice and safe.

O/O

It wasn't long before every agent of the Dai Li was summoned back to headquarters. The coup still had to go on, after all, with or without Iroh imprisoned.

Yuhan was at the face of Ba Sing Se's downfall as he rejoined a disgruntled Hiroshu with the rest of his organization. With her two imposter companions lined up beside her, Princess Azula was beginning to send away the divided portions of the crowd, with each sharp hand signal indicating another team of Council of Five-captors.

It was the beginning of the end – the end being the moment in which Joo Dee would be sealed to her fate forever. Yet, there was only one thing the heartbroken Peace Orator focused on at the moment: _Iroh was on his side. _

There was no mistaking it. After seeing that all-knowing smile, Yuhan was positive that Iroh's actions weren't meant only to save his nephew. He also wanted to save Ba Sing Se. Well – anyone else would have incredulously questioned whether or not Yuhan was just imagining this, since it _was _just a smile after all. But a good Peace Orator was a good Peace Orator, and this time he was just going to trust his instincts about people. And Iroh was on his side.

The young agent felt strangely relieved that he was no longer the only one fighting to stop Azula's plan. Somewhere out there, someone else was trying. The same person who'd convinced him never to give up himself. Yuhan almost smiled for the first time in what felt like years. His motivation to try felt renewed again. _Guess I'll just have to keep taking your advice then, huh? _

"You lot!" Azula commanded, bringing his thoughts to a screeching halt as she pointed sharply at his team. "Head to the Royal Palace and retrieve General How."

…Well, first he'd just have to figure out how in the world he was supposed to try right now.


	18. Those Left Behind

I wanted to get at least one chapter out before my winter break ends in two days. This was kind of hard to write, considering I'm kind of sick too :P But oh well, I'll go back and revise if necessary when I feel more normal haha. Hope you like it!

* * *

><p>The clouds seemed to freeze in their places across the pale blue sky. Not a single bird whistled its usual song. Everyone clung tightly to their positions, as if for their lives. The silence was deafening.<p>

Then, the footsteps started. They were slow and steady in their pace, casual yet formal. Unaware.

A single glance between the eyes peering beneath the pointed green hats set off the whole team at once. Two emerald figures dropped simultaneously from the opposite sides of massive, parallel pillars. Landing soundlessly and whipping their arms forward, they looked like dark, unpleasant shadows staining the magnificent, green-gold image of the Royal Palace's entrance.

In the center of the elegant frame created by the embellished pillars, General How cried out. The tension of the chains bound to his wrists had already immobilized his arms past any hope of Earthbending, and he fell to his knees when the captors on either side of him pulled down sharply on his restraints. The creases in in his light-skinned face were contorted in shock, confusion, and then rage when he looked to his left and recognized the dark uniform of his attackers. _"What's going on here?" _he demanded, clearly showing off the distrust he'd always held towards the organization. His tone was practically scowling with the confirmation.

Hiroshu had leapt down from another decorated pillar, and he was already standing before How by the time the general whipped his head back forward. Somewhere high upon the colorful beams highlighting the shape of the Palace ceiling, a pale, sleep-deprived face rolled its emerald eyes.

_Of course he would volunteer to do this part. _

"You're under house arrest," announced Hiroshu, with such deliberate formality that it hardly sounded like the idiot he was. The dark brim of his hat seemed to cover his eyes perfectly as he addressed an enraged General How.

Well, there was no need for backup then. Yuhan and the rest of Team Five smoothly slid down from their respective pillars, landing upon the ground in unison around Hiroshu and their new prisoner. They'd been positioned there in case How managed to chuck a few rocks before the chains bound him, of if his captors happened to aim poorly for any reason… But he'd been taken down painfully easy.

Yuhan silently watched his fellow agents further bound the general within their dark chains, until How's arms were folded stiffly behind his back and his legs were tied together with less than a foot of walking space. The man hardly had any time to call them dirty traitors, too, before his furious protest was stifled and gagged.

What else was he supposed to do? Try to free the general? Run off and warn the city? Be beaten down by his fellow agents? Lose whatever he had left of Riya? The young agent could only keep watching, his emerald eyes straining to retain any hope of saving the city before it fell.

A harsh, rather irritated voice cleared its throat in the midst of How's muffled yelling and struggling. "Where's that messenger kid? I could've sworn he was just standing back there a second ago!" said Guiren, scanning the surrounding courtyard sharply with his critical green eyes.

Under Princess Azula's command, every team of captors was to notify both her and their fellow teams immediately upon securing their assigned prisoners. It was a means to ensure that nothing had gone wrong, and to keep the entire organization on the same track – and Team Five was missing its messenger.

Yuhan spoke up before anyone could even start grumbling over whom to send in place of the missing boy. "I'll do it," he announced plainly. "After I get word from the others, I'll just catch up with you guys back at headquarters." Considering everything, he really didn't feel like being anywhere around his organization if he could help it.

His offer was met with no protests, of course, as the other agents were eager to return to their dark meeting place to begin the ultimate, final phase of Azula's coup. Hiroshu, however, eyed him for a split second with a strange flash of something that Yuhan couldn't quite put his finger on…

Pity? No… Remorse? It couldn't be.

He continued gazing quizzically after his partner as the rest of the agents turned their backs to him and began marching General How down the Palace steps. A group of carriages were already waiting to escort them in the courtyard ahead. Turning and pacing in the direction Team Four had been sent in, the Peace Orator wondered incredulously if it could actually be true.

Hiroshu had understood his partner's need to get away, as usual, and the pity for Yuhan's incurable heartache naturally followed. But there was actually more to that this time? Was Yuhan just bluffing himself, despite everything they'd always said about his accurate perception of people?

Because… It was kind of hard to believe that Agent Hiroshu Leung would ever doubt the Dai Li.

O/O

Yuhan had practically made his way across half the Upper Ring before he finally spotted one of the sprinting figures of his organization's messengers. The lean young boy, 13 or 14 years old at most, was hurrying to deliver information in the direction of Team Three, from the looks of it. Sighing, Yuhan began to dash as well, before the speedy little figure in bright robes could disappear from view. If he could get a hold of the messenger, the information could then be relayed to the rest of the organization. No matter how Yuhan desired not to hang around the Dai Li, after all, it was probably best if he returned to headquarters before long. Knowing Azula, even a temporary isolation that took too long could raise suspicions against him.

Breathing heavily, the agent had to push himself harder to close the distance between him and the messenger. The kid was annoyingly fast, especially considering that this was all he ever trained for in life. Yuhan could barely make out the back of his plaited black hair whipping away in the distance.

Two figures suddenly gasped in surprise right before he flitted past them in a blur – and before his feet involuntarily dug themselves into the ground with a loud, crackling skid as he stopped. Huffing and twisting himself around, Yuhan stared back with such shock that his expression could practically have been mistaken for horror. He was not prepared for this.

"_Hannie!" _

Ning and Yunxu Tsen were already hurrying towards him, the former racing ahead of the latter to throw her arms around him in a bone-crushing embrace. All the various baskets she'd been carrying from her grocery trip had been tossed carelessly aside, and a little pool of yolk from broken eggs was already starting to seep into the ground.

Her arms were wrapped around him so painfully tight that he could hardly muster enough breath to reply. "Hi…Mom." A strong arm clapped its hand down upon his right shoulder. "And Dad."

It seemed like his mother had planned to shower him with more overjoyed greetings, but something about his tone immediately caused her to back up and gaze sharply into his eyes, her arms still clinging about his. Her shiny grey irises were framed by a few loose locks of black hair, which was identical to his aside from the occasional silver highlight. Her light, slightly aged face was lit up with motherly love, but also with alarm. She began to frown as she closely inspected his sleep-deprived eyes. It was the kind of perception that only a parent possessed, and Yuhan knew there was no escape when she slowly rested her hands upon her slim waist.

"Hannie, dear…" He tried to avoid her gaze as her stern voice pierced through him. "What's the matter?"

No amount of brainwashing experience or lying prowess could get him out of this one. "Nothing…Mom." She only glowered back in response. "You know, I'm really happy to see you and Dad again. Really. It's just – well, I'm supposed to be taking care of something -" His stomach dropped when he realized that the messenger boy was probably long gone. "- Okay, I have to take care of something REALLY important. Seriously, I'll get in trouble –"

"Hannie, no one can punish you for one or two questions." His mother knew better than to doubt the strictness of the Dai Li, but she'd also found her own ways to chain down her son before he could go running off again without any explanation.

"Just bear with your nagging mother for a bit," added his father with a grin, his dark-tanned skin appearing a little lighter beneath the afternoon sun. Sharing the same concern as his wife, however, his emerald eyes were not to be fooled.

It must've been a strange sight for anyone else to see - two Upper Ring commoners cornering a Dai Li agent. To make the effect worse, said Upper Ring commoners didn't even reflect their high class much with their simple, few-layered robes that hardly sparkled. Yuhan's mother had chosen the tiniest green-gold hairpiece to adorn her bun with, while his father was probably one of the only people here with his half-grey, half-brown hair in a casual topknot instead of a long plait. Like him, they would never quite pick up the full, outrageously fancy customs of this place.

When Yuhan didn't reply, his mother cleared her throat and continued on. "We were starting to worry about you, Yuhan." He looked down. "We love you and completely understand the demands of your work, but as our son you can't just disappear like that!"

"…I know."

His father spoke up as his mother sighed and shook her head. "Well, she was just really looking forward to dinner, son." The sudden flinch he received in response didn't escape his notice. "Of course, we'll understand whatever reason you had for being unable to make it," he went on cautiously. "But we just wanted to hear_ something_ from you. Even your patrol partner friend hasn't written back to us yet."

Yuhan remained eerily silent. Of course… How could Hiroshu possibly explain to them what had made Riya unable to attend dinner?

His mother's expression gradually lost its sternness as her eyes soon joined Yuhan's in his quiet sorrow, which only seemed to grow worse by the second. She reached up and straightened his hat a little with her hands, gently brushing a few messy black strands of hair neatly away from his face. "Hannie, please... What's wrong?"

Though he looked away again, his father seemed to pick up the signs more quickly. "Oh, no… Riya broke up with you, didn't she?"

Ironically, the way Yuhan cringed horribly before his parents made it look very convincing.

_"What?"_ His mother gave a loud gasp of horror. "Since when?" she demanded. The paved ground beneath her began rumbling every time she threw up her arms. "I don't understand! She always seemed so fond of you - and then…your friend! Hiroshu! He was always telling us how happy you looked -"

"_Ning_, honey, let the boy speak," cut in his father, quickly placing a hand on her shoulder as he stepped forward. He gave a subtle sweep of his foot, neatly flattening back out the cracks in the earth that she'd just caused. Speaking softer, he turned back towards Yuhan. "It's alright if you can't tell us why right away, son. You've got some pretty important things to do, right?"

His mother glared back at her husband immediately, jerking her shoulder away from his hand. "_Yunxu_ -"

"Our son is a very busy young man," his father told her firmly. "You know we can't keep him here for long. " He smiled sadly at Yuhan in understanding. "And sometimes, all a man needs is a little time away from it all. You'll write back to us about it when you can, won't you?"

Yuhan could hardly look at them without taking cover beneath the brim of his hat. What was he supposed to tell them? "I…"

"Just look at him!" cried his mother, practically grabbing the agent's face between her hands as he sighed in exasperation. "The girl's broken his heart!"

There some truth in the statement, but it was all so wrong. The agent went still, his fingers grabbing tightly to the insides of his sleeves. "Mom -"

"It was all her, wasn't it?" declared the enraged woman. Yuhan's agonized face as he strained to hold onto his composure was making her spiral of control.

"Ning," chimed in his father, "we should really let him –"

"Just _what _exactly was wrong with my handsome, hardworking son that wasn't good enough for her, huh?"

His stone-covered fingers were beginning to tear through the fabric of his uniform. "No… Mom, it's not her fault –"

"And she can ask me or your father anytime - you _adored_ that girl! Does she not see –"

"_It's NOT her fault!" _

Both of his parents froze solid when his deafening, tortured voice silenced theirs. Yuhan pulled sharply away from his mother, though his tone immediately shrank in volume at her glistening eyes. "Mom – please….just stop it. I-I need to go. I'll be punished."

His father nodded silently towards his wife as she slowly stepped backwards to return to his side, never taking her gaze off of Yuhan. Despite everything, even she knew that there was no time left, and that her son had to keep up with his obligations to the Dai Li no matter what. She sighed again as she looked into his sullen eyes. "Take care of yourself, Hannie…okay?" she finally concluded, very softly.

The young agent nodded back, the guilt causing him to stare at the ground for a little bit before replying. "I will, Mom. And… I'll write to you both too, promise."

Before Yuhan turned and sprinted away as fast as he could, he caught once last glimpse of his father waving goodbye to him, with an arm wrapped tightly around his somber mother's shoulder.

O/O

Luckily, the messenger boy was running back in the opposite direction only a few minutes after Yuhan pursued him again. Upon seeing the agent, the boy rushed towards him at once. "Sir!" he exclaimed, both of them coming to a stop a few feet away from one another. "Urgent request from -"

"I know, I know," Yuhan sighed in reply. The thought of his organization seemed to trigger his grouchiness at once. "My group's the only one who hasn't said anything, right? Well, Team Five has secured their target."

Nodding quickly, the boy proceeded to relay his own news, with the sun reflecting off the sweat glistening off his bronze-colored skin. "The four other teams have also successfully secured their targets."

"…Good." Yuhan suddenly felt a little hint of despair threatening to creep into his veins. The entire Council of Five was imprisoned. It was starting to become a terrible reality – that the Impenetrable City was truly going to fall to the Fire Nation in less than a day. "The princess wants us all back at headquarters, then?" he added wearily.

"Sir, the princess has issued an additional urgent request that I'd planned to inform you of initially." The boy straightened up a little as he took a deep breath, his brown eyes still downcast as a sign of respect.

"Oh… She did?"

"Yes, sir. Five agents from each team are to report to the Lower Ring's 4th Division at once."

Riya's division.

"The recent absence of the Dai Li has motivated a dangerous, uncontrolled disruption in the area, and it's been reported that the criminals intend to storm the city if you do not detain them immediately. Carriages are still available at the Royal Palace to escort you as needed."

Yuhan's face hardened, and he almost scowled back at the messenger when he replied. "Understood. Go relay it to the others."

He hardly noticed the boy bowing and sprinting off again as he trudged back towards the Palace. Knowing the organization, everyone would rather be back at headquarters. He was almost positive that his team chose four to send off and then called him the fifth by default since he was already isolated… Today was just growing more awful, at the rate he was running into everyone he wasn't supposed to run into.

For he knew that Riya's community was furious. His entire organization had mysteriously disappeared in preparation for the coup, and the humble citizens were using the opportunity as a final, desperate attempt to escape the Lower Ring. They were trying to get out. They were trying anything they could to reach the oblivious Earth King – anything to put in end to the Dai Li's twisted system of conversions at last.

…

The massive wall separating the Lower Ring from the rest of the city was literally rattling when Yuhan spotted it outside his carriage window. He was accompanied by a group of agents he'd practically never met before, who'd joined him in response to the sudden emergency.

Wobbling dangerously, the carriage barely managed to make its way through the tunnel in the wall that opened for them. The ground was shaking violently, even though the driver had already picked an unnoticeable spot to enter through, far away from the actual riot. As soon as the wheels came to a halt, the agents quickly jumped out onto the ground and positioned themselves into formation. Several other carriages had already dropped off their own agents as well, and the group gathered as a whole before rushing forward.

_Joo Dee isn't here… Joo Dee isn't here… _Yuhan had to repeat it to himself over and over again in order to stay focused on the horrible battle approaching.

Several feet in the distance, he could see a crowd that contrasted sharply with his own; they were made up of all kinds of dull color shades, fighting and yelling wildly in a giant, dusty mess. It took him a few seconds, after observing the crowd's movements, to realize that every single rebel this time was actually an Earthbender. They'd sent any person capable of damaging the wall, and capable of fending off the royal guards that still desperately tried to uphold it. With a pang, Yuhan also realized that these benders probably desired to be the only ones punished for the effort, if it came down to it.

Giant chunks of the massive wall were crashing onto the ground, almost making it feel like a constant series of earthquakes. The royal guards were frantically struggling to fill in the damaged stone, the dark green plumes of their helmets caked with dirt from the battle. A large group of them was straining to uphold a notably large segment of the wall; its sides looked like it had been sliced perfectly through the entire barrier, from top to bottom. It slowly sank further and further into the ground as the Earthbending rebels, their fists clenched in unison, combined their efforts to bring it down. The royal guards still tried nonetheless – not out of any particular loyalty to the city's rules, but out of their permanent fear towards the Dai Li. Even if King Kuei claimed to have taken control of the city, after all, people who opposed Long Feng were still disappearing mysteriously.

With a sudden lurch, the wall segment seemed to shoot back up into place as soon as the rebels spotted the array of emerald-robed reinforcements approaching them. They all turned their attention away from the wall at once. There was a split second of complete stillness in the air – and then they all charged.

It seemed as if the crowd had gone insane with frightening rage at the very sight of the Dai Li. As the two groups clashed, the rebels attacked without hesitation, their viciousness having grown beyond all fear. The air became laden with dust as the earth exploded into all shapes and sizes. Fragments of stone whizzed here, crashed there, and sometimes burst in midair as two opposing Earthbenders forced their will over it at the same time.

A woman was the first opponent he encountered face-to-face. The worst part was that he recognized her. In fact, Yuhan painfully recognized so many of the enraged faces around his organization, having never known before that these humble neighbors of Riya were benders. The woman recognized him too, of course – which was why her green eyes lit up with such murderous intent that it made his hair stand on end. Her disheveled, battle-worn black hair whipped crazily about her face as she immediately threw her arms forward with all the force she could muster.

The massive, pointed boulder that soared towards his face seemed to cut a tunnel through the very dust in the air. Knowing that there was no way in Koh's realm to intercept such a thing, Yuhan ducked low. Even with his fastest efforts, the boulder still scraped across the top of his hat, and he could feel the heavy downward pressure against his head. Reacting quickly, however, he aimed his first chain and had already swept an arm out in front before the boulder crashed into the ground behind him.

With a whizzing sound, the metal cuff shot out beneath his wide sleeve and towards the female rebel, carrying along its attached chain. Having been unable to see clearly through all the dust, she noticed it too late when it locked into place around her bony ankle. Yuhan grabbed hold of the chain and yanked immediately, causing her light body to topple backwards. He kicked himself sharply off the ground and launched himself through the air, landing crisply behind the rebel before her body could finish falling. Bending over, he grabbed hold of her flailing arms at practically the same moment they made contact with the earth. After twisting them behind her back, the agent pulled out his second chain and wound it tightly several times around her wrists, his hands moving like lightning. She writhed and struggled furiously as he reached the end of the chain and secured the cuff around her wrist, and he strained to avoid her loathing eyes as he caught one of her kicking feet in midair. Using the chain already attached to her ankle, he soon managed to get a hold of her other foot and bound her legs together as well.

Practically tossing the rebel over his shoulder, Yuhan made a run for the wall as he carried the immobilized woman away from the battling crowd, twisting about to dodge the flying stone fists of his fellow agents and sometimes ducking before a large fragment of earth whizzed over him. Finally reaching the barrier, he set his prisoner quickly upon the ground, still avoiding her hateful gaze, and charged back into the scene.

A few still bodies he passed indicated that not all of the detained rebels were removed from battle. Many agents would simply leave them after crippling their limbs, where some would suffer the full impact of a misaimed boulder in their defenseless state. Yuhan forced himself not to wonder if he knew any of those unlucky rebels, and instead resolved to focus on actually capturing prisoners alive.

He was fortunate that there were relatively four to five agents fighting somewhere near him at all times. All of the rebels who recognized him would have targeted him immediately as a group, had they not been occupied battling the rest of his team. It was the same for every familiar face he encountered; he would suddenly be looking into the eyes of a crazed killer instead of a rebel.

Three, four, five prisoners against the wall now… The earth changed shape so many times, in forms Yuhan had never imagined before. He was almost skewered by the claws of a giant stone hand at one point, ran through a shower of knife-like shards at another, and repelled the ground itself when it constricted around his leg with bone-breaking pressure. It felt like he was fighting inside of a crashing building, with its roof and entire architecture falling everywhere about him. He was exhausted and dripping with sweat by the time he set his sixth prisoner against the wall, a man who would've spat in his face had he not turned away in time.

Gasping for breath as he outran a towering, domino-like wall crashing onto the ground, Yuhan knew that he wouldn't last much longer at this rate, against Riya's violent neighbors. Fortunately, the amount of standing peasants was gradually shrinking with his fellow agents' efforts. But even so, his team was growing tired as well, and they could feel it taking too long. Azula, no doubt, expected this to be over as quickly as possible in order to move on with the coup. They had to find a way to end it soon.

Their plan locked into place as soon as the first agent suddenly moved into position next to another. Every agent who saw began to follow as well, taking his place in line with an identical stance. It didn't matter who had decided on the strategy first. Long Feng had trained them all precisely to recognize and respond to any cue for any attack formation - from anyone. This ensured their cooperation as a formidable, clone-like team within seconds.

Sure enough, the Earthbending rebels soon found themselves facing a perfect row of agents, who had slowly backed up in the midst of the chaotic stone fragments flying everywhere. The team now stood a few feet before the cracked wall, and even the royal guards, who'd been helping to fend off the peasants, moved off to the side.

Yuhan and his team repelled the bombardment of attacks as best they could for a few seconds, before driving their feet into the ground in one, unified motion. The way they all spiraled their arms so quickly about their bodies with perfect synchronization made their whipping sleeves appear like a long row of green and gold circles.

Before the rebels could realize the nature of the attack, the ground beneath the entire crowd shuddered and loosened into a massive pool of liquid. Every single peasant, standing or immobilized, was swallowed into the quicksand. The earth sank over their faces before their voices could produce any cries of surprise, making it almost seem like they vanished from the world without a trace. As Earthbenders, however, the mud soon lurched and bubbled as they began to push their way to the surface.

Having planned for this, the agents all charged into the quicksand as well, gliding across the surface with their stone shoes pushing against the mud to prevent sinking. The few rebels that had managed to resurface so far had only gotten as far as their heads when the stone-gloved hands reached down and forcefully bound them with chains. Those who had been immobilized already still produced the slightest noticeable movement beneath the liquid, and the agents would dig their arms into the mud and yank their struggling bodies out as well. Some agents would also reach into the mud in order to grab a rebel's wrists before cuffing them and dragging them out by the chains – but many others would simply anchor the metal around the neck instead.

Gagging, coughing, and wheezing soon filled the air as the mud-covered rebels were pulled out from inside the quicksand, each of them bound completely now. Every agent who secured a prisoner would then solidify the respective patch of earth beneath him with a stomp, and the loose ground eventually stabilized once more. Yuhan tried not to think about those whose bodies had lay still even before the organized attack, who were now forever encased in their tomb of earth.

Shaking out their arms to dispel any traces of mud from their robes, the team of agents stepped away from the rebels and finally signaled for the carriages that would transport them all to headquarters. The royal guards could only watch fearfully as the line of barred, wooden vehicles began to pull into view.

Still, as protocol the agents seemed to pause in anticipation of a spokesperson. They were instructed never to leave such a public conflict unprofessionally, after all, and that it had to be made clear how everything they did was only for the city's well-being. A few of the agents who'd heard of and recognized him naturally began to eye Yuhan, as expected; if his words could convince someone of their own identity, they would certainly have no problem explaining anything here. Those who caught the agents eyeing him joined in as well – also as expected.

He'd been so exasperated every other time this had happened. But today, before Riya's beloved neighbors – before those who he might have even considered his friends – he suddenly stepped forward without a second thought. Yuhan positioned himself well ahead of the rest of his team, where he could feel them eyeing his back curiously. He lifted his face into plain view, so that the brim of his hat rose away and no longer blocked the sun from illuminating his pale face.

Riya's captured neighbors recognized the deliberate presentation of himself at once, their faces boiling with emotion even as they still struggled to catch their breaths. Yuhan swallowed hard as he faced them. He would relay Ba Sing Se's policies to them, without question…but he had to tell them something else. Anything. They couldn't leave here thinking that a girl like Riya could just disappear without a care. He'd known her too, he'd loved her too, and he just had to say something – even if they wouldn't remember it after passing through the conversion chamber.

With a horrible twist that felt like it would tear open his aching chest, he suddenly realized how familiar this was. He'd felt the same, hopeless need the moment he told Riya that he loved her.

After a few heavy seconds, the Peace Orator finally began his speech, keeping his gaze steady upon the crowd. The overwhelming guilt wrung his chest as he was forced to make the painful introduction. "We do not desire to imprison our hardworking citizens for their mistakes." Of course, no one believed him, and some even scoffed for good measure. Yuhan paused for a brief moment before continuing, his throat starting to grow tight. "You will be given one last chance to comply with Ba Sing Se's policies, and will go through educational training to reinforce your self-improvement."

All of the life practically deflated from the crowd at once. The way the rebels hung their heads limply made it clear that everyone knew this meant their conversion. Some were still eyeing Yuhan, their disgusted faces practically questioning how much more of a disgrace he could possibly become.

Yuhan looked straight into their betrayed, unforgiving faces. "Should your opportunity to improve be refused…" His dull tone remained completely the same, but something changed in his expression that caused most of the rebels to grow strangely silent and focus intently on him. Nothing was hidden from them now. It all shone clearly within his broken eyes, which threatened to blur his vision…and Riya's neighbors suddenly knew that he was explaining his failure to refuse her conversion. This was all hidden to the agents behind him, though, who watched the back of his head. "Should your educational training be refused," the Peace Orator repeated firmly, "note that you may not only be imprisoned for your violent crimes, but given a death penalty if necessary." Anyone could see from his face that "if necessary" translated to "always." Yuhan had to clear his throat in order to keep a steady voice. "We cannot afford to keep dangerous threats to the city's peaceful citizens, and will not have our generosity of allowing self-improvement in place of penalty be taken advantage of." Swallowing hard, he finally shut his eyes in conclusion.

_I miss her, too. _

It was a miracle that he was even able to finish his speech convincingly enough for the agents behind him. He had to lower his eyes back beneath the brim of his hat in order not to lose himself, for the crowd was now even worse than before. They almost looked ready to cry at the heartbroken sight of him standing before his prison-like team, for the girl they'd loved with him, and for the fate they were about to share with her.

The only farewells that passed between the Peace Orator and the rebels were a few mournful seconds of shared, helpless silence. Yuhan finally turned back towards his team as a Dai Li agent; his pale face bore no trace of emotion.

O/O

As it turned out, Azula had gone ahead and approached the Earth King. Yuhan and his team returned to headquarters to lock up their new prisoners and to change out their battered uniforms, only to find another messenger waiting for them there. The boy explained that they were to join the rest of the organization at the Royal Palace as soon as possible, and that Azula was already there to dethrone Kuei. She wasn't the only one.

Long Feng, who'd been planning his release from prison with them for quite a while, was currently marching over to the Palace himself. It was Team Five who decided to escort him, apparently – but not that it mattered, because the organization had decided sometime during the riot that they would rather be loyal to Princess Azula.

Yuhan's group was irritated that they hadn't been there for the decision, but not surprised. "Well – she's a lot more effective than he was, anyhow," remarked Jinhai with a shrug. "The coup almost seemed _too_ easy, if anything."

"But… It's the Fire Nation," began another agent. Despite everything, the idea of handing the entire city to the infamous Fire Nation still took some getting used to. "Are we really going to surrender Ba Sing Se like that? After 100 years?"

Jinhai, interrogator of rebels, turned his icy green eyes onto the hesitant agent. "The Fire Nation's going to win this war. We can't keep pretending it won't happen." His addressee stared timidly towards the ground. "They take over another area of the world practically every day, and this city had it coming sooner or later." Jinhai gazed solemnly about his fellow members. "Also…we have to look out for each other," he continued. "Would it matter if Ba Sing Se remained free? The Avatar's turning the entire city against us. We'll be as dead as the villages that get burned down by the Fire Nation, if we don't take a stand."

During all of this, Yuhan could only stand there and listen in numb silence. So it was really going to happen. The Dai Li of the Fire Nation… Disgraceful.

Just then, a final messenger rushed forth from the shadows, coming to a stop next to the previous one. Soaked with sweat and almost trembling with exhaustion, the boy announced something that still dampened the very air and caused the world to spin slightly, no matter how much Yuhan had seen it coming.

"Well…" Jinhai cocked a smug smile as the messenger bowed and left, looking over at the agent who'd questioned him earlier. "Looks like we've made our choice."

No one took much notice of Yuhan as they all rushed past him to get out of headquarters, to join Princess Azula at her new throne, and to corner their last threat, the Avatar, inside of the crystal catacombs of Ba Sing Se.

The Peace Orator repeated it to himself, just to make sure. Yes, the organization had just officially declared their loyalty to the Fire Nation. Yes, King Kuei had been removed from the throne, and it was Azula instead of Long Feng who replaced him. And yes…the city had fallen.

He felt too weak to even wonder where Iroh had been this whole time, and why nothing had made a difference thus far. And the worst part was that he couldn't even despair over the news in peace, because he'd have to join his fellow agents at the catacombs before long. The Dai Li never overlooked anyone who stayed behind at headquarters, after all - just to make sure there were no traitors in the organization trying to free the rebels… Yuhan stared down the passageway ahead. Was this really it?

_King Kuei was removed from the throne. _

Yuhan's vision slowly focused again. The Earth King was no longer the Earth King. There was a condition that only worked if he was. Suddenly, the agent knew what he had to do – or what he could only do at this point. It was too late for the city...but…

Yuhan stood tall and scanned the green-lit hallway once more, confirming to himself that there were no agents left. But he knew he wasn't alone. "Joo Dee?" he called softly.

There was no answer.

"Joo Dee." Her name echoed loudly throughout the shadowy green hallway this time.

"Yes, Agent Tsen?"

Yuhan sharply turned himself around at once, just in time to see her thin, yellow-robed figure emerging several feet away from behind an old statue.

With Long Feng's command gone, she simply stood there as if waiting for another order. She only did as she was told…and only lived as she was told. Gazing sadly across the hall at her, Yuhan sighed. "Joo Dee… Think you could just – come over here for a little bit?"

"Most certainly, sir."

She paced across the floor towards the agent, her light footsteps echoing in the heavy silence. A grin stretched across her face as she came to a stop exactly half a meter in front of him, as if acknowledging that she'd successfully obeyed his command. More silence followed.

Knowing that she wouldn't react to anything unless he told her to, Yuhan began to address her very slowly. "Joo Dee. Ba Sing Se has fallen." He focused on the top of her green hairpiece more than he did her grinning face as he spoke.

"Yes, sir."

It felt as hopeless as talking to the statue she'd been hiding behind, but he forced himself to continue. "Long Feng's word is no longer your command. You were trained to be loyal to the leader of the Dai Li, and the Dai Li have chosen to be loyal to the Fire Nation. You now answer to Princess Azula." It was still hard to believe what was coming from his own mouth.

"Yes, sir." Still no change whatever in her plastered expression, as expected.

Yuhan couldn't help looking down into her hazel eyes as he spoke his next words. "However… You will not meet Princess Azula. You will never see her. You will never see anyone who can command you."

Like an alarm, she immediately began to announce to him the flaws in his statement. "I live to serve Ba Sing Se. I must be available at all times to the Dai Li, to ensure that their cultural standards be upheld. I must be present to –"

Both of his hands clapped down over her shoulders as he cut her off. "Joo Dee, the Earth King has invited you to Lake Laogai." Yuhan made sure to utter it loud and clear.

He watched every detail of her face as it went completely blank for a few seconds, and as her eyes stopped blinking. "I am honored to accept his invitation." Her tone was so empty that he was beginning to forget what it once sounded like.

"Listen to me, Joo Dee." It wasn't as if she had a choice, but he didn't care. "The Fire Nation army will invade Ba Sing Se. Many people will believe that the war is here."

The way she suddenly laughed made it very hard for him to continue. "But there is no war in Ba Sing Se!"

"Exactly," Yuhan replied, grasping her shoulders more tightly. "But people will say there is. And this is my command to you: From this point on, before you report to Princess Azula, before you go anywhere near the Dai Li, you will hide yourself from every living person you see until you hear…" Was it even possible to hope for? No – that wasn't what mattered. He had to say it for her. "You will hide yourself at whatever cost, until the day _no one_ says there is a war in Ba Sing Se – no, until the Earth King himself returns to the throne. Even one glance at you from anyone before then is a failure, do you understand?"

His request was met with an overwhelmingly enthusiastic response, almost as if serious orders made her happy. "It would be my greatest honor to carry out your wishes, Agent Tsen!" Her cheekbones were going to break any minute, at this rate. "Your word is my command. I assure you that -"

"_Joo Dee."_ She paused immediately as Yuhan gazed haggardly into her eyes. Her voice seemed to shut down immediately to allow her authority to speak. "Joo Dee…" he began again, feebly. "Just stop for a minute."

"Stop what, sir?"

Yuhan scanned her face over and over again, staring into the two black wells inside the hazel irises, at only what he knew he would see – nothing. The grin remained glued to her pale face the entire time. He hated it. "Stop...smiling…just -" The blankness swept over her face at once, as every muscle relaxed in response to his command. Sure enough, he was looking into the face of an expressionless doll.

It was too much for him.

Choking from the suffocating lump in his throat and with trembling hands, Yuhan couldn't control himself when he threw his arms around her small figure, pulling her as closely as their bodies allowed and pressing his chin against the top of her soft brown hair for the last time. Suddenly he was embracing his dear Riya all over again, with the same warmth he'd missed for so long, the same steady heartbeat of her chest against his…

And yet, his eyes still leaked.

Joo Dee still stood like a statue as the agent held her there in his arms. There was no response from her, not a single muscle out of place. Her hands still hung at her sides in the silence. When she spoke, however, her tone was the tiniest bit softer than before. "Agent Tsen..." Yuhan's arms tightened their hold around her. "You are acting unprofessionally."

Another choking sound wrenched through his chest, a sound too broken to produce a full sob. "I-I know I am. I'm sorry."

She waited patiently for him to let go, as if politely expecting him to return to his duties like any Dai Li agent should.

But he couldn't move. "Joo Dee…" A drop of warm, salty water escaped his chin before disappearing into her hair. "You'll… You'll do as I say, right? You promise you'll do as I say…and be safe?"

He could feel the side of her face grinning against his chest. "Your word is my command, sir."

With a heavy sigh, the Peace Orator finally let his arms slip down slowly from Joo Dee's shoulders. "Right…" He stepped back, his eyes still glistening as he forced himself to smile. "It'd… It'd be best for you to take care of my request immediately, then."

She nodded and grinned again, bowing respectfully before her departure. "Goodnight, Agent Tsen."

It was only when she turned around that he was able to speak again. This was probably the last time he'd see her. But at least now, no one in the Dai Li or in all of Ba Sing Se could ever use her again. And if the city was ever freed, she would be there for it – and she would be helped. Yuhan held onto that last, hopeful, thought when he replied, watching the back of her auburn hair fade into the shadows. "Goodnight, Riya."

Of course, she naturally ignored any name that wasn't hers.


	19. The Crossroads of Destiny

Haven't updated since January! Man, I really hate school... Hopefully this summer will bring more time for frequent updates, though. I've missed this story!

Well, hope anyone who reads this finds it to their liking! 'Twas rather hard to manage all those action scenes... o.o

* * *

><p>Yuhan still watched the same, shadowy spot at the end of the hallway where her small, fragile figure had turned the corner and slipped away from sight. She wasn't coming back, but his sullen eyes kept imagining the strangest, stupidest, most hopeless things to imagine. Like how she could reappear any minute, not in a horrible yellow uniform, but in her soft, humble robes that reflected her Lower Ring origins with every patch. How her auburn hair would be flowing freely down her back, smooth as silk, and not chopped short at her shoulders with lifeless precision. And how when she'd meet his eyes, her own would light up like always, with a warmth that would flow through his entire being the moment she'd throw herself into his arms.<p>

His mind couldn't seem to remember the urgency of real life, as each little vision flitted past. It must've been something that came with final goodbyes – and yes, this was final, wasn't it? The Avatar was cornered. There was no getting out of this one, if his entire organization plus a prodigy Fire Nation princess were the captors. Riya had been sent away with hope that he couldn't believe in, and it was his fault, all his fault, and…and…

_Am I making you cry?_

_No… No, you're not._

_Well, that's good. Because I don't want to. Now how'd you make that badgermole? Maybe you can teach me how to Woodbend, and I can teach you how to Earthbend…_

With the memory of her very first smile glistening in his eyes, the agent's face finally dropped towards the floor as his shoulders sagged, and he wept with the lonely little girl who'd just wanted to play soccer with everyone else.

How many times had he made her cry since then?

Yuhan's shoulders were trembling uncontrollably now, his back heaving as one of his stone-covered hands pressed uselessly against his sunken eyelids in a feeble effort to staunch the downpour. It was the worst time to let his emotions run free, and he hadn't even let them get this out of hand during her very conversion, for the love of the Spirits. But just once, could his organization go to Koh's Realm and let him have a bloody moment? Just this once, was it too much to ask for him to miss the girl he loved?

"_Yuhan, _where have you been? What're you still doing here?"

…Yes. Yes, it was.

"The Princess is going to accuse you of treachery at this rate! Don't you want to be here for this?" Cold and unwelcoming, the voice slowly grew louder and louder as the second emerald-robed figure slowly became visible in the distance.

Yuhan's stone-covered hand slowly lowered, sliding down over his face like a great black wave that wiped away all emotion as it traveled, leaving behind nothing but a blank slate. His foot shifted to cover the little pool of salty water that had gathered on the cold floor as his body straightened up with the rigidity that every Dai Li agent should have. With a single movement, he turned sharply around and faced his fellow agent with his simple reply. "I was making sure that our new peasant prisoners were locked away properly. Everyone seemed so eager to leave that I feel like someone was bound to screw up and get us all in trouble."

Jinhai stroked his chin for a moment, seeming to remember how carelessly he himself had tossed his prisoners into their cells in the excitement. "Good point." He simply turned back around and motioned towards the exit with an arm as he strode forward. "But we really need to leave now, or you'll end up getting in trouble either way."

"I know." The Peace Orator's tone was as empty as the damp, green-lit passageway that Joo Dee had departed from only minutes ago.

O/O

Ba Sing Se was really starting to get on his nerves. Sure, go ahead and let him transform Riya into a mindless Joo Dee under a beautiful full moon. Sure, go ahead and extinguish the Avatar, the last hope of saving her, in some bright cave glowing from all corners with stunning green crystals, complete with an underground stream and waterfall. Very much appreciated. Yuhan decided to just give up on the city at this point.

Last but not least, he really just wanted to give up on the city in peace and deal with his miserable life from there. No need for any reminders of something pointless, or things he once imagined with his stupid optimism…like the notion of stopping the coup before it happened. Or the idiotic person who convinced him to believe it at all, who stood but a few meters away, pinned into place with long green crystals encasing most of his aged body.

The irony of it all was that he was now expected to guard said idiot, as the last agent to arrive, until the Avatar was successfully captured. No need for any unwanted interference during the battle, right?

"Your organization has been trained well," General Iroh remarked pleasantly, upon greeting him. "The teamwork and efficiency is most remarkable. I can see the appeal to my niece."

"Yes, we do tend to get the job done," the Peace Orator replied tonelessly. Approaching the old man slowly, his movements were controlled and precise – though he couldn't help gritting his teeth as continued. "We are trained to uphold our commands with our lives, and our orders are always carried out successfully." His tired eyes peered straight into those bright, golden irises. "Always."

Iroh gazed back quietly for a long moment, as the faint sounds of rumbling earth from the terrible battle ahead echoed around them. "I may not be fortunate enough for a chance to be better acquainted with you, young man…" he finally began. But you have many reasons to be proud of who you are."

Yuhan could tell the old man was smiling just from his tone, but he was too tired to wonder what on earth he was talking about anymore. "Really?" he asked amusedly, returning the favor with his own, dejected smile. "And what's that?"

"An earthbender."

Even now, Iroh could still come up with strangest, most unrelated replies ever. An interesting old man, he was… "Well yeah, I kind of figured," Yuhan replied lightly, giving a tug at his gold-trimmed sleeve as if to emphasize the obvious.

Iroh smiled sadly as he looked back at the broken agent. "You're fortunate to know exactly who you are. You could teach my nephew a few lessons." He chuckled slightly as Yuhan shrugged in response, though his gaze began to lock into place with frightening solemnity. "Young man…you are the only earthbender remaining in the Dai Li."

"…What?" Yuhan was just about ready to give up and just ignore the old man, who was clearly going senile.

"Do you remember why humans learned to earthbend?" Iroh asked softly.

A moment of silence took hold of the cave.

"Who were the first to connect their spirits with the earth?" the general asked pleasantly. "If an old tea server like me has even heard the story, then surely you must know."

Yuhan was about to wave off the words dismissively again, until something suddenly made him grow still. He couldn't ignore it, this horrible realization that struck the very center of his chest… "Oma. A-and Shu. They were the first humans to earthbend." His low voice had suddenly lost almost all its volume from earlier.

The golden irises twinkled as the agent tried to avoid their gaze. "Yes, they were." Iroh's words rang clear and bounced off the shiny, crystalline edges of the cave. "And so you must also know already...that earthbending exists among us today because of love."

Her face – her perfect, glowing face, took hold of his vision despite his best efforts. Yuhan didn't try to ignore it this time, and his glistening eyes remained focused on the pure image throughout his somber reply. "Maybe it does."

An earsplitting crash ahead dispelled the vision, causing them both to turn their heads sharply in the direction where the rest of the organization had left earlier. There was a blinding glow illuminating the stalactite-framed area ahead, and the sound of shattering crystals accompanied a frightening, high-pitched howl of wind echoing throughout the cave.

Yuhan shut his eyes for a moment as he shook his head briefly. "Maybe it does, old man," he repeated with a bitter laugh. "And just like then, maybe it'll end all the same. Never worked out for Oma, either."

General Iroh's words refused to cease even as the agent turned his back to approach the rest of his organization. "Yes, but her spirit – the true spirit of your element – is part of who you are," he replied firmly. "You cannot change that."

In the midst of the howling wind and shattering noises filling the air, Yuhan wheeled around exasperatingly, his eyes finally giving into the despair. "Change _what?" _he cried. "The entire Dai Li's about to capture the Avatar, and they'll just kill off whoever else I care about if I try to do anything now! So maybe I love someone – maybe I love her a lot! But so what? It's all over!" His voice was shaking uncontrollably as he finished. "No one's coming to help her!"

Iroh replied as calmly and as solemnly as ever, despite the surrounding noise. "You are a bender whose strength comes from your element's purest origin, love – and that same strength is what surpasses the rest of your organization. You have the ability to do more than you think."

Yuhan groaned out of frustration as his back remained turned, his stone-covered hands clutching his head beneath his hat. He hated the old man and those words – those stupid words that he could never ignore. He wanted to be left alone for once.

"You are not the only one who must face his destiny today," the general continued boldly. "But you are blessed to know what it is. Your words have not honored your actions thus far. Have you really stopped fighting this entire time? Have you really given up?"

The Peace Orator only continued to stare ahead with his back turned.

"You have not been able to," Iroh finished for him, smiling widely. "It is in your nature, because you are a true earthbender whose stubbornness will never allow him to let go of hope. Now, will you continue to fight for the one you love? Or will you leave her behind and deny who you are?"

Yuhan turned his head around slightly in the silence, then looked back forward a split second later and strode sharply away - though not before giving the ground a good kick. It rattled the walls of the cave and produced several little branches of cracks that climbed subtly throughout the crystals encasing the old general.

"We'll see."

O/O

It was everything Yuhan had expected to encounter, and worse. He knew that he would've been but one extra fighter for the Avatar against his entire organization, and that the child would still be cornered just the same with the mediocre reinforcement. Yuhan's help could only make a difference before the rest of organization arrived – which he'd already been too late for due to the Lower Ring riot, and because he'd sent Riya off.

He didn't know, however, that the child would choose to enter the feared and legendary 'Avatar State' in order to face the overwhelming amount of opponents. Yuhan had been charging into the scene frantically, in hopes that he could at least volunteer to help take custody of the Avatar, and perhaps find a way to wrench him free when there weren't so many other agents around. What happened instead was far worse than custody.

Yuhan had hoped that the terrifying sound of lightning wasn't just his imagination, either, along with the sudden disappearance of the bright glow illuminating the cave as soon as it finished. He skidded to a stop when he arrived at the scene, just in time to see the last traces of blinding light flicker away from Avatar Aang's eyes, who twitched and jerked unnaturally in midair as countless, scorching branches of electricity racked his small body. The singed edges of his battered, orange and yellow robes still smoked as he finally began to fall back towards the ground below.

The agent's emerald eyes remained wide open in horror as the rest of the scene began to settle into his vision, though the sight of the Avatar's falling, lifeless body still stood out most appallingly. The rows of Dai Li agents positioned at the site remained as still and emotionless as ever, even as they watched – and there was Azula, casually waving away the last traces of lightning-smoke from her fingertips, looking quite pleased with herself…

_What was wrong with them all? _

He wasn't sure that everything that happened from that point on was real, in the midst of his stunned silence. The terrible reality of it all – that the world's last hope, the Avatar, was _dead –_ was still having trouble settling into his numb body. Was that some sort of tidal wave sweeping across the entire room suddenly, knocking over all the agents in its way? Who was that girl on her knees - Katara of the Water Tribe, clutching Avatar Aang's electrocuted body in her arms? Or was it Riya's heartbroken face coming to haunt him again in a different form, with the same tears flowing from her eyes, the same despair as she gazed desolately about at her captors?

An explosion suddenly went off to his left, causing the world to snap back into focus as he jumped in surprise. The other agents in the room stood up in alarm as well, shielding themselves from the bombardment of flames.

General Iroh landed before Katara and the dead Avatar with a heavy thud, pointing his smoking palms forward towards the dark organization. "You need to get out of here!" he shouted. "I'll hold them off as long as I can!"

His booming voice seemed to wake up both the heartbroken agent and Water Tribe girl in the midst of their crushing numbness. And sure enough, the girl was making her way to the cave's waterfall, only a few feet away, and gathering the stream about her body in preparation to escape, even with the tears of loss still fresh in her sapphire eyes…

But why? _Why? _They were protecting a dead body. And why were the agents and Azula still fighting to get a hold of it as well? What was…the worth…

Things were happening too fast as Yuhan dragged himself forward, unsure of what he was even supposed to do. Katara was gone now, just like that, and there was Prince Zuko and his sister…and there was Iroh in a new crystal prison, with such a crushed and disappointed gaze that he had to turn his face away from his nephew…and Avatar Aang was still dead…along with any hope of saving the world…or Riya…

"Well – don't just stand there!" suddenly snapped Azula, glaring back at Yuhan along with the rest of his organization. "You know where that stream leads. Go capture the Water Tribe peasant! Move!"

_Move. _

They were onto Katara's trail like lightning, climbing up the walls surrounding the waterfall like dark creatures, or hoisting themselves towards the top of the cave upon earthen pillars. They began to stuff themselves through the damp exit as well, while a disoriented Yuhan dragged behind.

_Move. _

There was something he didn't see yet, something even Azula was aware of. Dead body or not, she preferred to have the Avatar in custody of the Fire Nation. Dead or not, Avatar Aang was more of a threat against her where she couldn't see him, where she couldn't ensure that he would never come back somehow…

As impossible as it was, there was still a final bit of hope to fight for.

Princess Azula was a logical one, and if she still threw out orders for capture even after the Avatar had been electrocuted to death - then well, the threat she feared must have been notable. Said threat being the possibility of saving the world from the Fire Nation.

Hardening his face as he rushed to catch up with all the other agents, Yuhan decided that for whatever reason, it wasn't over until Avatar Aang's body was in the clutches of his twisted organization…and that it simply wasn't going to happen tonight.

O/O

Katara ran with all her might as soon as the stream carried her to the ground above, where the glowing moon shone brightly in the night sky. Her chest heaving as she struggled haul along the weight of Aang's limp body, she couldn't to tell if her haggard breaths were gasps of air or sobs. Ba Sing Se's unfamiliar buildings flitted past her disoriented vision as she fled desperately for her life.

"_S-Sokka! Toph!" _she screamed, calling to them wherever they were in the world. The next sob stabbed through her chest as she suddenly remembered. The torture of having to gaze down at Aang's lifeless eyes again caused her to stumble over her feet and collide with him onto the ground in a weeping mess. Struggling to her knees, however, she frantically searched through his shirt pocket with her shaking fingers, desperately ignoring the lack of pulse she felt from his chest.

Scooping the Avatar into her arms and picking herself back up, the waterbender was off again as soon as she grabbed hold of the carved little bison whistle. Pressing the smooth edges to her lips, she remembered how Aang had done the same so many times before…Aang, who would give up the world for her in a heartbeat, who'd treasured with his life those fleeting seconds with her in the labyrinth cave, and… _No, pull yourself together! _Katara swiped away the fresh tears as she ran, focusing on only one thing: They had to get out. They just had to get out of this city first. She and Aang had to escape – together.

…

He knew that they'd reached the surface as soon as the bright moonlight's beams illuminated their dark robes. Emerging swiftly yet neatly at the mouth of the waterfall, the mass of agents leapt onto shore and immediately began to break into teams to split throughout the city, in pursuit of the waterbender girl.

Yuhan had no time to recognize any agent within the endless flurry of green robes flitting around him, Hiroshu included. He was forced into one of the teams automatically, shuffling along the rest of his group in a tight yet perfect array as they glided silently into the night. There was no choice but to obey the natural formation around him, as any unusual movement from him would strike suspicion immediately. And they still hadn't found the girl.

He began to grow panicked. Wherever Katara had run off to, it couldn't be far. Where was she? Where was the Avatar? What were the chances his team would even be the one to intercept her? Oh Spirits, how in the world was he supposed to help at this rate…?

A deafening sound of a roar from above shook the very earth around them, though the faint vibrations beneath his feet indicated that it had come from further ahead. Yuhan flicked his head towards the sky for a brief moment - only to see a traumatizing, familiar sight. The black shape of a sky bison. A silhouette in front of a brilliant, full moon.

_No. It's different this time. _

The words settled firmly into his head. Yes, it was the same sky bison from the same, fateful night, in the very same sky – but now it was his reminder of what he had to fight for.

And of course…it was also the indicator to his entire organization where the Avatar was now located.

…

Appa's roar brought relief to her ears. Scrambling towards the sky bison as fast as she could while carrying Aang, Katara called out to the small shapes sitting within the massive creature's saddle, which looked like they also included a pet bear and an Earth King. "Sokka – down here! We're down here!"

She resisted the urge to cry again as Appa swooped lower and lower towards the ground, when her brother leaned over for a closer look, and when the change slowly took hold of his face. "Katara! What – happened to Aang…?"

"What's wrong? What's going on?"

It was too much for her, now that Toph's voice had chimed in as well. "W-we have to get out of here!" cried the waterbender.

Appa didn't need to be told twice, and he quickly finished his descent to the ground. However, he also began to turn his head and grumble uneasily, straining to see his airbender companion as if he could sense the absence of life as well.

Almost as soon as the bison's feet made contact with the earth, the ground came to life. It sprang up and clung tightly to his legs, creeping higher and higher by the second.

Gasping, Katara automatically whipped her head to look behind her. To her horror, the emotionless, silent army of dark green had arrived. They were all reaching forward with their arms in unison, as if they could feel and hold firmly onto Appa's stone restraints from the distance.

Roaring and struggling violently, Appa thrashed about the earth and shook his legs in every direction possible, and his passengers frantically clung to his saddle to stay rooted. His sheer strength began to crack the stone, despite the massive group of agents struggling to hold him down. With a mighty swing of his tail that slammed down hard upon the ground, Appa's four back legs lurched into the air for a moment, a split second of freedom. With his front legs still pinned however, the bison gave another angry bellow and twisted its lower body to face the agents, his hind legs thrashing in the air. The waterbender quickly darted off to the side as she recognized the movement, right before Appa's wide tail struck the ground once more.

The sharp, hurricane-like gust of wind even blew off the roof of a few unfortunate houses in the distance as the entire group of agents reeled backwards. Though several of them were caught off guard and were carried away by the air current, a good amount of agents had rooted their stone soles into the ground and only slid back several feet as they struggled to keep their balance.

In the meantime, Toph leapt onto the ground before the sky bison, motioning quickly for Katara to get on Appa already. As the waterbender flitted past her, she began a quick, almost effortless series of stamps that crumbled away the restraints pinning down the bison. Almost as soon as she loosened them, however, they sprang back up within seconds. The agents were recuperating behind them, and the stone seemed to creep back up and re-establish its shape every time Toph dispelled it.

Then the gloves started firing.

The first stony pair flew right past Toph and latched onto Aang instead, their real target. Katara had only climbed halfway when both she and the Airbender were suddenly yanked backwards towards the ground, the former giving a cry of surprise.

Cursing, Toph turned away from Appa's ever-growing restraints and quickly dispelled the earthen gloves from her companions' bodies with a heavy thrust of her palm, though more and more kept coming.

"Katara, take my hand!" shouted Sokka, as Kuei joined him in reaching both arms towards his sister from a few feet above her head. Sokka's eyes were also beginning to appear oddly damp in the moonlight as he had to draw even closer to a dreadfully motionless Aang, something that Katara had never seen in the prideful Southern Water Tribe Warrior before…but like his father, he still managed to force composure upon himself and fiercely act upon what was needed now. "Come on!" he yelled, his fingertips drawing close enough to brush hers.

Almost as soon as Katara grabbed hold of her brother's hand, however, another earthen glove gave a hard tug on the back of her collar. Both she and Sokka cried out in alarm and grabbed onto each other more tightly, while Toph quickly dispelled the glove yet again with a firm counter-thrust of her palm. "There's so many of them!" growled the earthbender. "Let me beat their heads in real quick –"

And with that, Toph turned back around and began wrecking havoc upon the ground instead. As her fists slammed against the earth, it rose in several waves and series of sharp pillars, flinging hordes of green-robed men into the air wherever it went. No matter how many the blind earthbender blew back with her frightening strength, however, more kept arriving. She could sense them, too, teams and teams of emotionless soldiers lining up from the distance. And even as she kept them at bay, Appa was still struggling to free his legs, and Katara was still struggling to climb up his body without being grabbed by another earthen hand.

"Toph, you need to get up here!" yelled Sokka, hitting another rock glove out of the way with his boomerang as he clung to a still-dangling Katara with his free hand. "There's too many of them! We need to get out of here and help Aang!"

"But Appa can't fly!"

It was true. The agents would only draw closer to the team and fire their chains if Toph didn't fight, and Appa was rooted to the ground for as long as she couldn't help him.

And the amount of gloves flying through the air kept increasing.

Katara felt Aang's cold fingers slowly slip away from her own, despite her best efforts. With the next tug, she gave a sharp gasp of horror as his body was finally pulled completely from her grasp.

She acted reflexively. Enraged, she cried out and wrenched her other arm free from both Sokka and Kuei's grasp, landing upon the ground just in time to fling her arms back around the airbender's body. They both skidded heavily against the earth for a moment as the gloves kept dragging them along. Rooting her feet, however, Katara reached out a free hand and swiped it violently through the air. A long, blade-like streak of water escaped the pouch fastened at her side at the same moment, gliding through the night before whipping backwards an entire row of agents with sickening impact. "_Stay back!" _shrieked the waterbender, clinging onto Aang with her life and glaring about the dark organization with murderous intent.

"Watch out!" cried Toph beside her, before jumping ahead and blowing back a new horde of gloves with a sharp push of her arms. She'd still been fighting off the other agents this whole time, but with the waterbender back upon the ground, she had to take measures to protect both Katara and Twinkletoes more than ever now. To her dismay, she could feel Sokka landing on the ground behind them as well, who'd drawn his boomerang by now and was knocking over a good number of agents himself with every throw.

And Appa was still pinned to the earth.

The reality that they could possibly never leave the ground tonight began creeping upon the young group, but they still fought their hardest.

…

When his team finally made it to the scene, he could see that the bison wasn't flying anywhere soon; the children were cornered. He could see Toph Beifong in the distance, her pale eyes blazing, hurling back agents with every wave of her arms as if they were rag dolls. But even so, the agents were starting to inch closer and closer to the group, as the earthen gloves pulled on the young Avatar. Yuhan could tell that it wouldn't be long until the men were close enough to fire their cuffed chains – at which point it would all be over.

Time seemed to freeze, as Yuhan stood silently and watched for a moment, despite the agents around him jumping into formation and firing their own stony palms towards the unfortunate group. He shut his eyes from the world and inhaled deeply.

There was no turning back after this. And from now on, whatever might happen to him… Yuhan pulled his hat low, concealing his eyes and making him less distinguishable in the crowd of agents as he prepared for the most insane, reckless thing in his life. His hand lowered away from his hat before curling its fingers tightly around its bracelet with three disks, one last time. Upon releasing it, he looked ahead again at the bison and at the limp, dangling figure of Avatar Aang, the last hope of the world.

_Spirits, help me. _

…

With a heavy stamp that crackled the ground as Toph threw her arms towards the sky, a thick barrier of stone rose like a tidal wave before the children, cutting off all the agents from view. They could hear the earthen gloves striking it from the other side, and in no time the uniformed men began to break it back down, but those even few flitting seconds of extra time were enough for the group to make a mad rush towards Appa.

As the others scrambled into the bison's saddle, aided by Kuei, Toph had only just begun breaking the stone restraints once more when she heard the deafening crash of her wall in the distance. "Come on…!" she scowled through gritted teeth, as the earth came to life before her and sprang back up around Appa's fur yet again. There were so many agents at the scene by now that they were practically undoing everything she tried within seconds.

To her horror, the endless whizzing sounds that flitted through the air a few moments later indicated that the gloves had begun firing again. The earthbender fiercely continued dispelling them from Katara's direction, but the stupid restraints on Appa had to be freed as well, and she cursed repeatedly with the realization that she just couldn't do it all – fighting back the army of agents, warding off their gloves, and freeing Appa. It was too much.

Then…the gloves simply disappeared. Toph paused for a moment, puzzled. No – they couldn't have just disappeared in thin air like that, right? But the whizzing sound…it'd just stopped out of nowhere. And strangely, the agents had all seemed to freeze too, standing deathly silent as if they were seeing something horrible that she didn't.

There it was – the whizzing sound again. And then screaming.

Toph's eyes cracked wide open in shock for a good moment at the horrible sound. It wasn't coming from her companions, but from the very men trying to attack them. Someone, somewhere, had attacked them. And if she could say so herself… It felt like their gloves had exploded into tiny shards in midair – right before shooting straight into the faces of their owners. That had to be what happened, since so many agents were clutching so agonizingly at their eyes.

Well, it was as good a distraction as any, but she had to act quickly. Without much effort, Toph broke Appa free a moment later with a good kick at the restraints, and followed by digging her feet into the ground before launching herself up into the air. She landed neatly within the safety of Appa's saddle, and the bison gave a massive swing of his tail that shook the earth upon impact. They were airborne in no time.

"…What happened?" Even though Sokka saw what Toph couldn't as they were suspended in the air, no one really understood yet what was going on down there.

…

It seemed like some deathly plague had swept over the agents, as several groups of the uniformed men either staggered backwards or clutched agonizingly at their bleeding, wounded eyes. No one – Dai Li agent or friend of Aang – had expected such an attack. Especially not from one of the organization's own.

There were cries of bloody murder all around him. It was evident by now that there was a good-for-nothing traitor among the group, though the agents had been too occupied for a time avoiding their own rock gloves to have time to try searching for him. It was surreal to everyone, including Yuhan - that an agent would attack his own organization, and that said agent would have a will strong enough to remove earth from even his fellow members' control.

It was chaotic and felt unreal, but the other agents simply didn't understand why this will displayed such impossible strength. For the traitor didn't care if he was revealed to them. They didn't understand that he himself knew that anything and everything could happen to him at this point, and went for it anyway. Such a grip over the earth, an utterly fearless and reckless determination willing to risk everything… None of them could control the ground more strongly than that.

He knew the reality, though, that he himself could never overpower this many for very long. Several had ducked in time for the brims of their hats to protect their eyes from the stone shards, and were now starting to identify him one by one when they looked realized that he was the only agent not trying to get back into formation.

Everyone who still stood was now arranging into those perfect, silent attack patterns that he recognized so well, having been trained with them his entire life. It was such an odd sight, the perfect arrays of uniforms positioned around him instead, the arrays that he could never be a part of again.

The Avatar's bison still wasn't completely out of sight, though, still not safe… So Yuhan fought anyway.

…

Katara sat with her arms wrapped protectively around Aang now as she sat with the rest of her companions and Kuei in Appa's saddle. They were slowly but surely rising higher and higher into the air, as the bison's speed was hindered by all the gloves still whizzing about them, grabbing at his fur. And in the meantime, everyone (aside from Toph) could still see the chaotic sight below.

There he was – one strange agent, a little green shape in the distance, fighting recklessly against a hopeless amount of others. It seemed like he knew his opponents' movements, though, almost like he could predict them before they happened. It was understandable, considering they were the only ones attacking in a pattern, and he wasn't. His feet seemed to glide like lightning across the ground, due to the utilization of his stone shoes, and he was weaving in and out between the other uniforms, dodging fired chains everywhere. Every time he struck was when he'd waited until someone was sure he couldn't avoid an attack, and at the last minute he would sneak in either a sharp jutting pillar or boulder that would smash aside another agent.

Nonetheless, he was getting tired, and Katara could see it. He was waiting until they were gone completely, and safe. With Aang already lying limply inside her arms, the waterbender painfully shut her eyes before she could see the other agents finish striking the first real blow, and as the silent hero in emerald finally hit the ground and skidded horribly.

"Katara." Sokka's hand was on her shoulder. "He's not coming. He wasn't planning to."

She knew that already, but it still hurt to see yet another person fall before their eyes...just for the sake of Aang.

Toph was at least spared this vision, both due to her blindness and because she was (rather irritably) the only team member still warding off the occasional rock glove flying in their direction. They'd increased after the agent's tumble to the ground.

Despite everything, Katara's eyes couldn't stop themselves from looking back down, which now displayed the terrible sight of the young agent still staggering to his feet, still trying to keep his organization distracted as best he could. And then, there was…

Oh, no. There was something much more horrible approaching. A slender figure was sprinting into the scene, with unnaturally precise, cold movements. Someone with the ability to strike even the sky above with her cold-blooded fire.

"APPA – YIP YIP! FLY!"

…

Oh Spirits, no… That was…Azula, wasn't it?

He could tell just from her movements, and from the faint, blurry vision of her two bangs whipping through the air as she ran.

_Crunch. _

Once again, he found himself sprawled across the ground, having had little strength to dispel the blow. Even if he was only alive because he somewhat managed to soften the impact of every chunk of earth, was that the second or third time that same arm had been hit…? Oh well…it was all numb now…he had to keep moving…

Barely pulling himself to his feet and ducking clumsily as another horde of chains clashed and tangled together above his head, Yuhan strained to see the Fire Nation princess in the distance.

It was really hard to see anything, really, with the next slab of earth hitting from behind and knocking the air out of his lungs as he hit the ground face-first.

_I…can't get up. _

The first agent finally reached him, dragging his practically limp body backwards by the collar.

As his eyes rose away from the ground, however, his blurry vision picked up the faint image of the Fire Nation princess several feet away. The realization hit him so sharply that Azula's hazy figure suddenly focused within his emerald irises, and he could see it all unfolding clearly as if in slow motion.

Azula had ignored the scuffle taking place with the Dai Li traitor, of course, seeing as the organization had it under control. She quick and decisive, and even Yuhan's disoriented eyes could not mistake the movement in her arms. It was the emotionless, killer formation – the precise, circular motion, the firm press of her index and middle finger together as they went rigid and began harnessing the very energy that took Avatar Aang's life.

He couldn't stop now.

As if returning from death, Yuhan suddenly lurched and reached quickly for his hat, much to his captor's surprise. His fingers wrenched the pointed, gold tip free from the top of the cone, and he slammed it down as hard as he could into the arm still grabbing onto the back of his collar.

Ignoring the horrible scream of pain coming from behind him, the former Peace Orator charged one last time, his staggering yet determined feet kicking hard against the ground and unbalancing a couple of agents behind him as the ground rumbled.

As he glided along the earth with all the speed he could muster, he could hear the cuffed chains start shooting after him, whizzing behind his back…

….

Appa's passengers could only watch in horror as the massive, crackling branches of electricity shot straight in their direction. A cry of fear left Katara's lips as she clung tightly to Aang, while Sokka impulsively and protectively covered Toph, who sat next to him, in his arms.

The crash of thunder boomed across the dark sky, and the scorching lighting climbed so close to Appa's fur that everyone could feel its heat radiating on their skins.

Breathing heavily, her pupils still dilated from the adrenaline, Katara whipped her head back towards the ground. The last glimpse of Azula showed that the princess had somehow toppled over at the last minute, her arm jerking right as she attacked. And there was…that same agent, being dragged further away from her by the second and looking dreadfully still…

Roaring in alarm, Appa swung his tail even harder, and with a last heavy gust, the group was finally carried away from attack range, disappearing from sight before the full moon.

…

Yuhan could hardly make out anything being spoken to him now, and he didn't bother trying anyway. The lighting didn't hit its target, he thought…right? Otherwise, why would everyone sound so peeved?

"_Tell me…how do you lot handle traitors? This kind of stupidity…never in a Fire Nation army…" _

Well, if that was the princess's voice, then he was surely doomed. But that was okay. The Avatar was gone. Safe.

Someone was yanking sharply on his hair, pulling his face upwards despite his failing vision.

"_Princess…no use talking…unconscious…" _

The traitor of a Dai Li agent suddenly remembered Hiroshu, and the realization of just how many of his own he'd hurt tonight. With a slight pang, his eyes opened slightly, as if wanting to see somehow if he'd accidentally hurt his best friend.

At the same moment his vision returned, however, something else caught his eye as it gleamed beneath the moonlight. It was smooth and gold, and…

Oh Spirits, the bracelet.

_Her_ bracelet. It was so close to him, yet so far, right there on the ground. Something must've cut it loose during the battle. No, no… His eyes couldn't fail him now. He had to get it back. He had to...

"_Well…fools…once he wakes up, tell him…" _

It was for the three disks, the gold one and the two polished emeralds, that he placed his last, frantic bit of strength into staying conscious, with a mad desire to retrieve it again more than life itself. But Yuhan couldn't move, and everything hurt, and it was far…so far…

Riya's bracelet was the last thing his emerald eyes desperately clung onto before the world slowly dissolved into darkness. The Dai Li paid no heed to it, and just like the Avatar, it was long gone from their sight as they headed back to claim Ba Sing Se under the name of the Fire Nation.


	20. Consequence

Seems this update didn't take quite as long as the last. But still almost 2 months, heh. Anyway!

To the very early fans of this story, I'll have to explain something for a bit: As some of you know, it had been hinted before in a prologue (which was removed some time ago) that Yuhan would die in the last chapter. My original plan was to have Azula kill him for his treachery. The story would've ended pretty soon...but plans have changed not out of any attachment I have to my character, as much as I love him. A beta actually discussed it with me and pointed out that insta-murder is probably not be Azula's style. She's cruel, and she probably considers killing for treachery too kind of a punishment. And I had to agree. So here's the result of that logic. Heheh...hope it's okay...

* * *

><p>Ning sighed as she leaned upon the polished windowsill of her bedroom and gazed outside. The Upper Ring was too quiet and spacious as usual, and the only movement she saw was the occasional bumble of a fancy carriage in the distance. She secretly wished that one of them would pull up to her house and return her son to her.<p>

The last time he'd left had been unbearable for her. She couldn't make him stay, and she knew that he couldn't even if he wanted to. But she just hated the thought of him sitting somewhere alone in his dreary headquarters, wherever it was, heartbroken and pining for Riya. She wanted him to come home, where she could comfort him and remind him that he was one very special young man, who all the silly girls in the world would be fortunate to even meet, let alone date.

Mrs. Tsen never imagined that Riya would dump her son so brutally. She was irritably aware that some found the girl "above his league" – which was ridiculous, because she would've loved to see someone else try boasting a boyfriend who was not only handsome, but also wildly talented to the point of recognition from Sir Long Feng himself. But to throw it in those gossipers' faces, this mother happened to know that the "girl above his league," in fact, had gone soft for Yuhan long before he returned any feelings. Ning wouldn't have expected him to, seeing as he was seven years old at the time. But it was hard to miss the shy little girl who kept watching her oblivious Hannie play soccer every day, who lowered her bright pink face whenever he turned to her after scoring another goal with a grin. Her son would always make time for the lonely 'Afro Girl,' even if just to rest after one of his games, and sometimes she'd spot him carrying over a Pai Sho board to the girl's house on rainy days. His shy companion was more than grateful for his company, and his cluelessness towards her little crush only made it cuter to the adults, her parents included. Ning found it too adorable for words when fate revealed that Yuhan would end up falling for Riya years later. The young woman had always kept a special place for him in her heart.

…Which was why it was even more infuriating to Yuhan's mother when it turned out that the heartless wench had gone and dumped her son without mercy. It had been such an adorable story, darnit! What was wrong with that girl, and what in the name of the Spirits had Yuhan done to deserve this?

She couldn't rage completely in peace, however, with the horrible memory of Yuhan screaming at her to believe him when he declared that Riya wasn't at fault. Of course, he could have been too head-over-heels for the girl to judge her fairly anymore…but Ning just couldn't help feeling as if there was something else. Something beyond a breakup. He was certainly heartbroken, but could a breakup really produce such an unnatural, traumatized expression on Yuhan's face? Something just wasn't right about it at all.

Yuhan's mother gave a long sigh. No matter how well she knew her son, the furthest she would ever get was only the fact that he was hiding something from her...

A crash as the bedroom door slammed open startled her. Ning turned around to discover the pale face of her husband, who only had time to share a panicked gaze with her a split second before two Dai Li agents marched out from behind him and obscured him from view.

Ning knew that uniform too well. She loved the way her son looked in it, and she had nothing but respect for his organization. However, she could tell that today the uniform was a bad thing. The faces of the Dai Li agents were cold and unwelcoming as they gazed down at her, their eyes darkened by the shadows beneath their pointed hats.

"Mrs. Tsen." The robotic voice didn't sound like it belonged to a human being at all. "We regret to inform you that you and your husband will be taken into custody as of today." There was a deathly moment of silence. "Your son has been dismissed from the Dai Li for treachery."

Her body seemed to lose all feeling as the shock swept over it, her throat going dry, her fingers cold. And just like her husband, whose emerald eyes were still staring bleakly about the room as if waiting to awaken from a nightmare, she suddenly couldn't remember how to speak.

Treachery.

Anyone who was even remotely familiar with the Dai Li knew that the word alone meant horror. No one in the organization wished to be associated with it.

Both parents didn't even seem aware that they were being pulled forcefully from their own home, as the trauma still blinded their vision. Ning's fragmented thoughts could only revolve around one thing, despite the stony fingers painfully gripping her arms as they dragged her forward: Yuhan.

Yuhan, the hardest-working agent in the Dai Li. Yuhan, the acclaimed keeper of peace, the embodiment of everything Sir Long Feng desired in a soldier. Yuhan…the traitor. Her son. The traitor.

…Her son.

Above all else, Ning was a mother. Her voice suddenly found itself, loud and demanding all at once. She rooted her feet so forcefully that even the agent dragging her along had to come to a stop. _"Where is Yuhan?" _she declared.

A few feet ahead of her, Yunxu rapidly shook his head for her not to continue. They'd both realized that wherever they were headed now, it would surely pale in comparison to Yuhan's fate - but her husband seemed more aware of the circumstances. He was silently begging her not to give the organization even more reason to torment their son.

She was painfully aware of all this, but she couldn't control herself. "Please…" she asked again, straining to keep the composure in her tone. The panic she felt for Yuhan had killed any fear she had for her captors, and she gazed firmly into their expressionless eyes. "I believe that I have a right to know…what you have done…to my son. As well as…the crimes he committed to deserve this."

Such a shallow bunch, these men were. Only weeks ago, they'd spoken to her with such reverence due to their deep respect towards Yuhan. Today, it seemed like she and her husband weren't even worth the effort of speaking to. "It is none of your concern, nor our obligation to disclose that kind of information," the agent leading her replied dismissively. "Your son has simply dishonored the name of our organization and is being dealt with accordingly. Frankly speaking, I suggest that you review your parenting for now."

Ning wouldn't have hesitated to smack the bastard across the face right at that moment – but alas, life had a very interesting way of timing horrible events. Both the agent and woman were caught completely off-guard by the messenger boy that suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

Seeing how their gazes clearly indicated that his presence was unwelcome, the messenger gave a quick and nervous bow before the two agents, while Yuhan's parents watched with dull curiosity. "I-I apologize for the interruption, sir," stuttered the boy, unrolling a formal little scroll for a brief second as if to assure that he'd been sent by decree of their leader. "But Princess Azula has asked all agents in the Dai Li to report to the Outer Wall within an hour. She has given word to the Fire Nation army and expects them to arrive shortly."

If looks could kill… The messenger was already scurrying away for his life by the time the first agent began to glare down at him. In his defense, it wasn't as if the matter was going to be much of a secret to the entire city – but it simply wasn't the right place nor time for these agents.

Having been surrounded by several refugees in the Lower Ring, Ning had never really been oblivious to the war outside, even if she never spoke of it. Her son had urged her to refrain several times, explaining to her how the Dai Li preferred not to disturb the peaceful lives of the citizens with such talk and sometimes "took it too seriously." Ning gazed warily after the messenger boy. Did she just hear everything correctly?

All of it hit her at once, along with a heart-wrenching realization that suddenly welled up her eyes with tears. There was a reason why that messenger boy had appeared now, and only now. It was all connected – the treachery, the Fire Nation…the elite keeper of peace. The true protector of Ba Sing Se.

_Oh, Yuhan… _

Yunxu didn't even have time to register what his wife was doing, let alone try to stop her. He himself nearly toppled over with the agents during that moment, when the ground crackled violently beneath them in response to her boiling rage. The horror twisted his face as he regained his balance. "Ning!" he shouted desperately. "Don't –"

The chains latched onto her body before he could finish, yanking her off-balance immediately and digging into her skin as they tightened. Even her husband suddenly felt both his arms being bound behind his back by the cold metal, just for precaution. Dai Li agents were simply too used to these kinds of reactions, and far too organized.

"I'll silence you myself if you keep this up," snarled Ning's captor, who had to maintain a very firm grip on the restraints to keep her from thrashing about. His irritation had won over any efforts to maintain his earlier formality. It wasn't so much that he felt threatened by her, but that passerby were starting to watch curiously and that no Dai Li agent preferred to make such a spectacle out of his true colors. "Now if you ever want to see that traitor son of yours again, you will learn proper respect –"

He'd already fired his stony fist at her face even before the sentence was finished - but the sad irony of it all was that even the Dai Li couldn't look down upon Yuhan's earthbending prowess, regardless of his actions. The two agents were reminded during this very moment that talent often started with blood, and that it had to have come from somewhere.

It was good enough for Ning, even if she could only move her hand freely. The earthen fist gave a violent lurch in midair.

The agent was suddenly on the verge of choking, fighting to wrench the fingers of his own glove loose from his neck as Yuhan's mother gazed murderously into his eyes. Yunxu's expression was a mixture of awe and dread for her at the same time as he stared."You came here today…to tell me that _my_ son will pay for being a traitor?" Her voice started off low and venomous, but grew shriller by the second as the mother in her grieved. The other agent was now yanking on her chains and twisting her forearm painfully to snap her out of it, but her fingers stubbornly retained their death grip over the stony glove. "You say that _my_ son will suffer for his crimes?" The hot tears began streaking down her face involuntarily. "You blatantly invite the Fire Nation into our city, and you call MY son the traitor?!" she screeched.

Her captor recovered from the unexpected attack soon enough, reaching beneath the fingers of his stony glove eventually and yanking it out of his way as he stepped forward. With a sharp swing, he landed the next blow with his own fist and muscle, without hesitation.

Something horrible flared in Yunxu's emerald irises, when his wife's tear-streaked face suddenly went dull and dropped to the ground along with the rest of her body…

It was the gossip of the day for the Dai Li. Agent Tsen wasn't the only one who went insane; his whole family was crazy, too. They apparently didn't take the news very well. The two agents who returned shared many disdainful laughs with the others over how badly the couple had been beaten down. Traitors these days – you'd have thought they learned not to cross the organization by now.

Deep down inside, however, the agents couldn't help feeling a little spooked by recent events. Some were still sorely tending to their wounded eyes from a certain night… To be honest, it was probably a good thing that those psychos were where they belonged now. One should never let a Tsen near dirt.

The agents chuckled nervously amongst themselves. Traitors these days…

O/O

_Traitor…_

That word was always haunting the air around him, whispering from the shadows. Whether in his deathlike sleep or during his dull periods of consciousness, the word would always come back periodically, murmuring disapprovingly in his ears.

It was also the only thing that stayed consistent nowadays; everything else in the world was constantly shifting oddly, and he'd stopped trying to retain his sense of time long ago. All he knew was that he was being hauled around a lot, that he kept seeing something different every time he regained consciousness, and that the air kept whispering "traitor" around him. And…his arms hurt badly. To the point where he might've preferred no arms at all instead the pain - the kind of pain that he was sure would last forever.

_Yuhan, would you care to refresh my memory of the standard penalties for disloyalty? _

Grimly and painfully, something that looked oddly like a smile began to make its way across his violet and blue-swollen face.

_Disloyal agents are banished immediately from Ba Sing Se, and all earthbending abilities are crippled permanently by physical means. Any family members are banned from following, are branded as traitors, and are transferred to the underground supply production for a lifelong repayment of debt to the Dai Li. _

His eyes were fortunate enough not to have enough strength to try glancing down at his lifeless arms once more. It would've only made him feel sick again, anyway. The two limbs were left dangling on his body, since relieving the pain by amputation would be too kind. They were bleeding just about everywhere from the fractures, but only just enough not to break the surface of his skin. During his bad days, he would actually amuse himself by observing those interesting, unnatural blotches that consumed what used to be the color of his arms. The Dai Li seemed to have made a point of keeping them bare for him to see, aside from the fact that they'd torn away any part of his battered uniform that still contained any chains or potential weapons. He now sported only the dull green tunic and white trousers he'd always worn underneath, though they were considerably damaged from battle.

He didn't mind any of it.

Yuhan was left half-conscious in some rotting prison cell, as expected for a traitor -but he still preferred it over Lake Laogai. In fact, he felt a strange sense of freedom to be relieved of his uniform. No more annoying fancy hats. No more marching around to intimidate innocent citizens. No more brainwashing under the pretense of peace. And now…no more earthbending. It somehow gave him a feeling of peace, even if his arms still hurt beyond all imagination. Earthbending had also been a bad thing back in the day. He was secretly glad to be one less trouble for the world now.

Deep below his meager freedom, however, the former Peace Orator was scared out of his wits. He knew the fear was there, too, but he strained to focus only on the little positives while he still could. Because if he thought about it, he would only drive himself insane from the dread of never knowing the fate of his family – and only knowing that it couldn't possibly be good. No matter how noble his deeds were, no matter how firm his decision had been…he was still too terrified to think about the true price he was paying. The Dai Li's underground supply production wasn't kind.

O/O

Ning blinked a couple of times to grow accustomed to the darkness of her new surroundings. She could barely make out the shape of her husband and his chains from across their cell, due to the little streaks of green light that barely made it through the thick bars of the locked entrance.

Both of the treacherous parents only sat in nervous silence, neither of them daring to speak a word to each other. They knew that even if they did, they would only end up speculating over their son's fate and build up horrible theories by the second. Even if they'd recently acquired several new bruises and aches from their arrest, they were more terrified for Yuhan than anyone else.

The anxious mother looked up with a jolt when the thick door suddenly slammed open with an unpleasant echo throughout the metal prison. Greeting her was the sneering face of another Dai Li agent – a different one than her captor from earlier, but equally disdainful. Determined not to give him the pleasure of seeing any fear, Ning hardened her face and glared back as boldly as she could. These disgraces of earthbenders had turned on their own city and were punishing _her Hannie_ for disagreeing. She would make sure that her disgust was obvious.

"Now, now, what kind of a face is that?" mocked the green-robed man. Even though the shadow of his hat naturally dimmed the color, his eyes were still a cold shade of blackish-green – a perfect combination with his pale, vampire-like skin. It wasn't the overworked, sun-deprived kind of paleness that Yuhan suffered from, but more of a chilling preference of his dark, shadowy headquarters. Ning shuddered. Were there really agents like this in the Dai Li? How many were there?

"Be grateful that I'm even kind enough to allow you this bit of news," continued the ominous agent, "considering you shouldn't even deserve this much for your blatant disrespect." Gritting his teeth, he ignored the scoff that sounded as soon as he'd uttered the word 'disrespect.' But the news he mentioned must have been horrible, considering how quickly the nasty smile returned to his face. "Don't you want to know where your son is?" he taunted.

Her eyes suddenly flashing with alarm, Ning unconsciously jerked forward and caused a loud clatter of her metal chains as they pulled against the wall. Across from her, Yunxu went oddly silent as he gazed up slowly.

"Your treacherous brat is right next door to you, as a matter of fact! Aren't you glad?" If only the agent would stop smiling. It was a promise of something terrible, and it made everything worse. "We just thought you'd want to be there when he starts wailing. You won't miss a sound," the man continued cheerily, even chuckling for good measure. "Thought it'd be a nice favor for you guys. No need to thank me."

There was a moment of complete and utter silence.

"_You…pompous, disgraceful little -" _

_CRUNCH. _

"_Little what, traitor? You're in no position to get mouthy." _

"_N-Ning! Are you alright?! Ning…!" _

The nightmare had begun.

O/O

Yuhan's hazy consciousness eventually cleared up enough for him to be aware of his surroundings again. But to be honest, he couldn't truly tell whenever he was even awake these days. His arms seemed to hurt for an eternity, anyway, and he didn't sense any difference when he was asleep.

It was this all-too-familiar sight, however, that led him to confirm that he was in the real world right now. This was actually the third or fourth time they tried, he believed. It was complete with the whole setup – the smooth, metal rail, the orb-like lantern, and the strange candle inside with an unnaturally bright glow. He'd honestly seen this coming. Some traitors weren't banished from the city, but "re-educated" so that they could still be useful to Ba Sing Se…only with a guarantee that they would never step out of line again. Not that they would ever be restored to their former Dai Li agent-status; Long Feng had usually preferred them as lowly messengers or headquarter janitors, and their names would be changed to something humiliating if he was in an extra bad mood.

Yuhan had found it strange at first that the Dai Li possibly wanted to keep _him _in the city, of all people – until he realized that that wasn't the purpose of his conversion at all. There were many things much worse than banishment that one could suffer. And considering Azula was probably the one dictating his punishment, the agents were most definitely attempting to do something exceptionally traumatizing to his head.

…The only problem was that they simply couldn't get him to crack.

Agent Yuhan Tsen was such a well-known Peace Orator for a reason, much to everyone's annoyance. Apparently his abilities made him able to keep an insanely stubborn grip on reality at all times, no matter what they tried… And to top it off, many were leaving the conversion chamber out of frustration during the attempts, because he would literally start snickering at them when they sounded "funny" to him. It got especially bad when he'd start mocking "nasally" voices – and apparently someone was told that they "sounded like a gnatfly." The traitor was way too comfortable with the conversion chamber for his own good. What was most annoying was that he'd gone utterly insane, yet somehow retained his knack for glowing lamps.

But of course, Yuhan was the only one who believed that he wasn't insane. Well, er…at least not yet. He was just having fun while he could, since he figured his life was screwed anyway. And it was too easy for him to let go and say ridiculous things about his former organization these days, because it was thrilling to be able to express himself at last. Sure, his arms were rendered useless and still felt like a thousand knives were wedged inside of them (most likely the bone fragments), but there was just something liberating about insulting the Dai Li out loud without ever having to fear the wrath of a Cultural Minister. Considering the lovely circumstances, though… Hmm, perhaps he was insane after all?

He was still mulling this over as he relaxed his aching body beneath his metal restraints, enjoying his last bits of twisted fun until the noise of the heavy chamber entrance shook him awake again.

Everything came to a screeching halt. In just a second, Yuhan suddenly knew that something unspeakable was about to happen. Whatever it was, he wasn't going ever to recover from it. All in that split second, he suddenly knew. The fear began to settle like ice throughout his body, chilling even his fractured, throbbing arms.

Because…it was written all over Hiroshu's face.

His former patrol partner had appeared in the chamber entrance like a ghost of his past, with the same crisp uniform, tidy hair, healthy skin and bright green eyes. His companion of seven years, the symbol of how to have fun outside the rules in the Dai Li… His best friend. But with only one difference: his face didn't look anything like Hiroshu today. It wasn't even the thick, red-blotched bandage that caused this, which covered the gashing wound that Yuhan had regrettably inflicted himself less than a centimeter from the left eye. It was his odd expression, completely void of his usual carefree spirit, that was so striking; it was staring helplessly at Yuhan, not with disapproval like the other agents, but with utter shame…and an underlying knowledge of something too awful for words. That's what made it the most frightening.

Their gazes had barely met for more than a second before Hiroshu had to tear his eyes away. He couldn't face his former patrol partner, not without losing his rigid composure and raising suspicion from the agents accompanying him. And Yuhan was suddenly so, so terrified of what lay ahead.

Hiroshu took in a long breath, stared one last time towards his treacherous friend, and shook his head ever so slightly as he shut his eyes. It was when he eventually turned on his heel and paced back out of dark chamber that Yuhan finally understood. There was an escort who'd been standing behind the agent - a small and fragile figure, whose tidy yellow dress and Earth Kingdom scarf made his blood freeze solid. It was impossible. It had to be a nightmare.

It was her.

Just like that – his hope, his everything, was simply shattered. Tossed in the wind. In the shell-shocked silence, the former Peace Orator couldn't find his voice, nor his breath in general…nor his very pulse. His entire body lost any desire to function at all the moment his eyes took in her delicate little figure, framed by the two towering agents at her sides, their shadows forever looming over her.

For a second, the two uniformed men raised their brows at each other. Was this really supposed to be the peasant girl that mattered so much to the stupid traitor over there? They'd have thought he would have more of a reaction – well, any reaction at all. Why was he just looking at her so blankly, without even blinking or attempting to speak? It was too…stoic. Spirits, this better have been the right girl.

Her overseers simply couldn't see beyond the "stoic expression," having never cared for anyone as deeply as the traitor did. It wasn't tranquility on his face, contrary to their beliefs. It was just emptiness. As if everything inside of him had shut down, rotting away as the seconds ticked by.

He saw her. He broke. They were only looking at the corpse-like shell on the outside.

"Hello, Agent Tsen."

Observing the horrible features that suddenly hold of his face, the two Dai Li agents gave a subtle sigh of relief, smirking from the confirmation that they hadn't screwed up after all.

With a cheery smile, Joo Dee addressed the traitor, the wide black pupils glinting in her hazel eyes. "Please allow me to explain. Your condition is severe. Our failure to rekindle your loyalty to the Dai Li thus far –" She motioned towards the glowing lamp. "- requires extra measures to speed the process your recovery."

There was a quiet hum of metal, the high-pitched friction of a blade as it left its sheath. One of the agents had procured it from his sleeve, lifting the polished dagger almost noiselessly before her. She gracefully took it into her smooth fingers. She bowed in thanks before her superior before turning back around with a grin. Less than 5 feet away, the traitor stared back at her from his metal restraints.

_Extra measures..._ That dagger wasn't for him.

Yuhan's voice tore through his lungs right at that moment. "Riya." The name drifted right past her head, but he was oblivious to it all now. His tone had grown very still and unnatural, and his emerald eyes remained unblinking as she met their tortured gaze. "Riya…you listen to me…right now."

Joo Dee seemed perplexed by odd title he kept using to address her. "Agent Tsen, please allow me to assist. You are confused –"

"_Riya."_ His voice was transforming into something demented and unrecognizable, spiraling out of control as the dagger gradually rose higher and higher. The Dai Li agents behind her watched silently.

"You must understand, Agent Tsen –"

"_Listen to me _–"

"- that all of this is for your benefit."

"_RIYA_, _you put that down RIGHT now –" _

"Please, calm down. We are only trying to assist –"

"_Stop - SHUT UP!" _ As soon as the last two words rang through the damp air, however, Yuhan's voice suddenly withered. The icy numbness of his chest gave way to the burning, merciless reality of what was about to happen. Even the pain of his battered arms couldn't compare. "Riya – just stop – you don't know what you're talking about… T-there's so much you don't know…just listen to me – for a moment…please…" His tone was quickly breaking up, fragile and wavering in contrast to how confidently she rested the smooth blade against her neck.

Joo Dee casually looked back at him in the cold silence, her teeth flashing wide. "Your recovery will be most successful. I'm sure of it." The two agents in the background were evidently stalling her out of their amusement.

Yuhan didn't see nor care about anyone else at this moment. He was oblivious to the chamber itself, glowing lantern included. Even the Joo Dee uniform, glaring yellow, no longer had any meaning to him. There was only Riya, and she was holding a dagger against her neck. He didn't care what she thought her name was. It didn't matter what she was wearing, how programmed her voice was, or how strongly she believed in her lies. The only person he saw standing before him was the girl whose smile was all he lived for. Whose presence today, breathtaking and beautiful as ever, proved that everything he'd ever done was for nothing, and that they never should have met. That he had condemned her from the moment they met, down to the last pitiful seconds of her false existence.

"Riya…" His choked-up voice somehow found itself again, trembling as his vision blurred. It suddenly hurt to speak at all, as if his throat were the narrow handle of the dagger that her rigid fingers wouldn't release, and her nails dug painfully into his windpipe. "There's s-so much I still need to tell you – please – just wait…" Even though his broken, pinned-down arms weren't allowed to clear his leaking eyes, which reduced her image to a salty blur, he could still tell that the shiny blade was beginning to indent her light skin. Her cue was coming up. The air was so cold. "At least…let me tell you…y-your name…Riya…" The words were dropping unconsciously from his lips as he pleaded hopelessly with her grinning face. "You have so much left – so much better than this – you can't stop –"

Her grip tightened around the handle.

"Don't you even want to know your name_, _Riya?_ Don't you know how beautiful your name is?_ How – beautiful – everything…about you -" His throat was on fire, and his eyes were flooded with boiling water. "You…can't do this now – Riya – stop…" Yuhan's voice dropped to a feeble whisper as the stone-covered hand rose behind her to give the signal. "D-don't you know…how badly…I want you to stay?"

As Joo Dee acknowledged her cue with a nod, he suddenly couldn't think of anything else other than how pure she looked right at that moment, like the fleeting bloom of a panda lily wilting in the smog of its looming volcano, right before the lava swept over its delicate petals. The black and white flowers suddenly spilled all over his vision. It seemed like all the pieces of his memory that contained them were flitting by. Heaps and heaps of panda lilies, disappearing into volcanic ash before he could reach them in time. A dying bundle of them in an abandoned porcelain vase, gathering dust somewhere in in the remains of a tiny Lower Ring house. A single bloom, adorning Riya's auburn hair as she gazed up into his eyes, an innocent blush warming her cheeks as he gently caressed the side of her smooth, flawless face…

"Don't you remember…how much I…love you…Riya?" Yuhan's voice finally broke into a sob when Joo Dee's blank expression remained exactly the same. It was only a matter of seconds now. "I'm sorry…I-I'm so sorry…please…"

"Goodnight, Agent Tsen." She smiled.

It was like a bad dream. Everything mushed together into one dull color, except for the blinding silver of the blade, and the bright yellow glow of the lantern reflecting in her hazel eyes. He began to hear a strange sound that he was never aware of before. The beating wings of a dying butterfly. Petals dropping from a wilted flower. Her breathing. A sound he wasn't supposed to hear.

And then it stopped.

The dagger clattered against the floor.

There was no noise at all, even when the metal clashed sharply with the stone. The entire world had grown silent. Either it had stopped moving altogether, or it was spinning somewhere a thousand miles away from him. Yuhan remained utterly still, his wide eyes frozen. Time was holding its breath, and refused to carry on. His lungs were turning into ice, slowly expanding and pressing against his chest with excruciating pressure. Everything felt so odd. He couldn't remember where he was, because his head was too hollow to give him any clues.

His eyes continued staring blankly, but suddenly he realized a problem. He couldn't see Riya's face. Her auburn hair, no matter how smooth and perfect it was, still irritated him the way it fanned all over her eyes. And what was that ugly crimson? It didn't suit her. The numb silence screamed at Yuhan to move. He couldn't see Riya's face. He had to move, to go over there and brush that hair out of her face. He began to stand, but nothing happened. His legs were rigid. His body wouldn't obey him.

_What's wrong with you? _Yuhan tried again, and again nothing happened. A drum began to beat slowly as he kept trying and failing to move. It was a weird sensation that started from inside his chest, and it hurt. He had no idea who kept banging that drum so excruciatingly slow, and it throbbed more painfully each time. But he didn't care. He just needed to brush that hair out of Riya's face.

Two nasty shadows suddenly loomed over her, almost causing him to recoil from the shock. What were those things? The strange, dark creatures were stalking towards her before he could…

It finally hit him the moment the stone-covered hands made contact with her limp arms. The horror became a reality, sharp like the bloodied dagger still lying on the floor, cutting into his chest like the blade into her neck. Lights began exploding throughout his head like blaring alarms. The Dai Li agents were taking Riya away from him. He'd forgotten that they existed, and he hated them for coming back. Time crashed forward, slamming his pulse back into his bloodstream. The world flipped and twisted all around him, and the sound of a wild, manic voice suddenly split the air with its screaming. The uniformed bastards had no right. They were hurting Riya – yes, hurting her, because she couldn't be dead. That was no way to treat a girl, dammit, dragging her like an unwanted rag doll across the floor like that, letting her head flop towards her chest. Letting her crimson-stained hair remain all over her face.

They had no right. Come back here, he shouted dementedly. Come back here, so that he could kill them all. They had no right to take her from him.

He only realized that the crazed screaming was his own after the chamber door slid shut again, leaving him alone in the room with nothing except for a glowing lantern and a crimson floor. It continued for hours into the night, eventually separating into small, heartbroken sobs, weeping and choking uncontrollably in the numb silence.

…

The sound resembled the tortured moaning of some possessed animal as it vibrated throughout the walls of the cold, metal cell.

Yunxu Tsen sat trembling beneath his chains, huddling at the very corner of his little prison with his hands clasped tightly over his ears. He'd been separated into a different cell from his wife some time ago, due to her unruliness, but they'd made sure that he could still hear it all. His eyes staring wide into the darkness, he seemed completely oblivious to the two glistening streaks that ran steadily down his traumatized face. No matter how hard he tried, he simply couldn't drown out the noise. He could only keep repeating to himself that it wasn't real, that it couldn't possibly be real. What was reality, anyway? Both consciousness and slumber were so horrifying that he couldn't tell which was the nightmare anymore.

Because no parent wanted to believe that a voice like that could belong to his child.

…

The final bit of gossip finally settled into the night, circling throughout the dark organization. Agent Tsen had cracked at last – him and his entire family. Princess Azula really knew how to handle her traitors.

Hiroshu remained silent when he heard it, only forcing himself to smile whenever the others expected him to, in the midst of their laughter. During the occasional moments no one was looking, however, he would gaze wistfully towards the direction of his broken friend's cell somewhere in the distance.

What a messed up reality this was. It was still hard for him to believe it. What had he and these idiots around him ever done for the organization? And of all people to be tossed into that lowly cell, it was Yuhan – the sleep-deprived, workaholic agent who'd covered for their laziness so many times. Oh yeah, what a great crime he'd committed indeed, fighting for the girl he loved in the name of Ba Sing Se and defying the Fire Nation.

There was just something wrong about it all, no matter how badly he wished there wasn't. The guilt had crept into his chest, and it was there to stay. Hiroshu sighed. Reality sucked, and it was starting to annoy him. He couldn't ignore it anymore.

_Hang in there, buddy…_


	21. Time

Been busy as usual, but had a lot of fun writing this chapter! Crazy stuff, I tell you...

* * *

><p>"<em>But you won't give me back my stepparents…will you?" <em>

"_I – I can't, Riya." _

_Tears glistened like hazel crystals in her eyes. Crystals, because she wouldn't let them become rivers. Confined to the hazel, they were. Sad, yet determined hazel… _

Red. Red everywhere. The walls. The floor. Her blood. Crimson. Red. So much red.

"_I know you can't, Yuhan…" _

_Her fingers. So gentle, and so deadly against his pale skin. The warmth travelled all the way up to his eyes, making his lids shudder and close. _

Fingers? Whose fingers? Certainly not his. These useless things? These ugly, murderous weapons?

_I can't, Riya. _

Pathetic. His last real words to her, before she was chained down in that chamber and broken forever. Utterly pathetic. Stupid Peace Orator should've rid himself from the world when he had the chance. Or replied anything else to her. Anything.

"What do you mean, 'you can't?'" a sickly-sweet voice called airily.

Two disoriented irises flicked warily towards the sitting figure a few feet away. The eyes were an odd color, too much black and too little emerald. They seemed unable to keep focus on any one point for more than five seconds, but the prisoner was too used to his cellmate by now to care anymore. "I don't know, Riya." His tone was hollow, too empty to belong to a human. It grew faintly bitter, however, as he kept talking. "I've told you a thousand times already, Riya, I don't know. I'm a stupid idiot. And I'm sorry you had to know me." His eyes were too tired, so his lazy lids sank down once more. He didn't care to look at her.

It wasn't as if she were much of a sight herself.

"And I tell _you_ a thousand times that my name is Joo Dee!" He was so tired of that laugh. "Agent Tsen, you really amuse me sometimes."

A sharp hum of metal managed to catch his attention again, as usual. Yuhan finally looked over at her. The crimson puddle seeping down the front of her tidy yellow dress never failed to make him cringe. "Riya," he sighed. "For the last time – would you stop? You're already…"

She drove the blade into her neck. Never stopped grinning.

Yuhan had to look away for the hundredth time. He tried to lift his hands to save his ears from listening to the sound of the blade cutting into her flesh, but his arms were broken and only replied with knives. "Riya – just stop, alright?" he groaned, driving his head into the red wall so that the cold metal scraped against his ear, as if trying to block at least that side from picking up the disgusting sound.

"What's my name?" she taunted. Her voice was surprisingly crisp, for someone who'd just sliced through her own windpipe. Astonishing.

The former Peace Orator's body curled up tightly, trembling against the dirty floor as his chains rattled. His arms had no strength on their own to lift his hands, so he often resorted to resting his head on the ground between his rigid palms instead.

"What's my name, Agent Tsen?" She was merciless, and he couldn't blame her.

"J-Joo Dee. Stop it…" he whimpered, his hands still shaking uselessly over his ears. "You win, okay? Go do whatever you want. Just…stop it - stop coming here. Go rest…like you're supposed to…"

He didn't know whether she'd actually left or not, though the floor notably rumbled beneath him this time. As if something big and heavy were scraping against it. More metal. Was that Riya? No, it couldn't be. She was too light for that. Strange.

"…Yuhan?"

That…wasn't her voice. But for some reason, it was an important voice. He couldn't remember why. _Forget it. _He curled up even tighter and let his feeble body rest against the wall, his back turned towards the speaker. Joo Dee was gone, and he was free. All that really mattered. For now.

"Yuhan." The sound grew louder this time, sharp and unyielding to his silence. When he still refused to move a muscle, there was a loud sigh. It was too heavy to be a sigh, actually, but somehow he knew it was still a sigh. Or…what? Who was he even talking about now? Joo Dee? Riya? His head gave a painful throb, and he gave up.

…Until he noticed the stone fingers slowly curling down over his shoulder.

Stone fingers? His fingers! …No, _their _fingers. Them. The killers. The bastards. His head remembered that much.

Yuhan bolted upright. Sure enough, emerald green flooded his vision, clashing sharply with the surrounding red. His matching eyes flared. That color was even worse than the red, worse than the crimson of her blood. It had taken her away from him.

The green-robed monster took a sharp step backwards when the demented prisoner cried out and lunged in its direction. "Yuhan –"

"_I'll kill you – kill ALL of you! No right –" _

His chains shot excruciating fire throughout his battered arms as they pulled. The resistance was so sharp, the pain so mind-numbing, that his entire body lurched backwards. He was sprawled across the ground again before he knew it.

No, he had to get back up. They had no right to take her from him. They all deserved to die, just like him. But even so, the image that he hated most infected his vision just from that thought. The stone fingers grasping her cold wrists without sympathy…dragging her… The prisoner screamed as his chipped nails dug into his scalp. "I'll…kill you…" his demented voice still promised, almost subconsciously.

"Just like you killed me, Agent Tsen?" A voice as sweet as poisoned honey.

Yuhan's eyes went wide, his hands still clutching his head. "Riya – not now – please…" But he knew she was right. She had always been. And…what was he in comparison? The salty flood immediately destroyed his vision, mixing all the colors of the cell together in a crazy mess of red and green as he sobbed and trembled violently.

Even though his broken voice shook the air of the cold metal cell, there was a strange silence for a long moment. Not the kind of silence from lack of volume, oddly enough. Just stillness. And then, of all things:

"…Wow, really? That's the lamest death threat I've ever heard from you." There was a light chuckle, foreign yet annoyingly familiar. "Buddy, you need help."

It somehow clicked. He didn't know why – but then again, maybe his patrol partner was just that annoying. "Hiroshu…?" Yuhan slowly narrowed his eyes in the direction of the green, forgetting Joo Dee for a moment. He still felt a little dizzy, but his oddly skeptical gaze confirmed the identity nonetheless.

"Good to see you too, kid." The air suddenly changed all at once. Yuhan had barely taken his first glimpse of that annoying face before the green robes moved swiftly towards him. The rusty chains clicked and floated away from his arms, placing themselves noiselessly upon the floor as his crazed eyes watched confusedly. He didn't have much time to realize that two stone gloves had carried out the stealthy maneuver, either, because one of them proceeded to yank on his front collar so heavily that he was forced to his feet. Suddenly he was facing the back of that evil, elegant uniform, being dragged along as it spoke sternly. "You have to get out of here."

The endless red began to move quickly past him, mixing occasionally with stony grey. Yuhan couldn't process anything in time to make a reply, but it was apparent that Hiroshu didn't care. His former patrol partner kept moving swiftly, and Yuhan was forced to follow lest the rock glove give another yank, which would make his arms waver unsteadily to retain his balance and hurt like Koh's Realm.

"Where are you going?" she called sweetly.

Even Hiroshu had to pause when the former Peace Orator's legs froze solid. No form of earth could get Yuhan to move, broken arms or not.

Joo Dee was standing so casually before them, twirling the dagger playfully between her bloody fingers. Her yellow dress was leaking rivers of crimson, a horrible contrast with the stark white color of her grinning teeth. They moved apart as a high laugh escaped them, amused by the traitor's traumatized expression.

Hiroshu seemed to understand after taking once glance towards the prisoner. "Yuhan. Ignore her." His tone was frighteningly calm as he darted his eyes about their surroundings. Just as it was when he killed the old man. The haggard old man who'd promised all of this a long time ago…

Joo Dee kept laughing, and the Peace Orator kept staring.

"I said…_ignore her._" Each word was emphasized by a sharp tug of the rock glove against his collar. Hiroshu's tone was growing more urgent by the second, as if every second they stayed drew them closer to some horrible fate. "Yuhan!" he hissed, failing to get his partner to budge once more. "That's not Riya! Just ignore her - I don't have time to -"

The world suddenly exploded with noise. Bells were ringing everywhere, their sharp echoes causing both men to jump. While Yuhan gazed deliriously about at their surroundings, however, Hiroshu's eyes widened with horror. "How in Koh's Realm – dammit –" He suddenly whipped both arms forward mid-sentence. The black cuffs shot out and locked tightly around the wrists of his patrol partner, who gave a yell of pain as he yanked mercilessly and began speeding across the stone floor with his rock soles.

Yuhan was staggering, sprinting for his life and struggling to keep up with Hiroshu's earthbending-induced speed. He was driven forward purely by the unbelievable pain, the throb of every bone fragment wedged inside of his arms. Yet, Joo Dee refused to leave. Wherever they turned in this strange, red-grey labyrinth, she kept smiling at him from every dark corner, shaking her index finger in the air as if chastising him before sliding the dagger slowly across her neck.

"Why are you running from me? Don't you love me?" teased her gentle voice, a perfect imitation of the Riya he'd known before her conversion. Yuhan finally collapsed, his body hitting the sharp the corner of the next turn as his legs gave away. The chains pulled uselessly, for the pain they inflicted paled in comparison to her voice.

"_Yuhan!_ Come on –" Hiroshu was yelling now, since the ringing bells made it pointless to speak quietly anymore. "We don't have any time! I'll explain it to you when –"

"_Just let me go already!"_ cried the heartbroken traitor, his leaking eyes staring longingly towards Riya, who smiled ever so innocently as she turned and strode gracefully into the shadows. The auburn hair slowly wisped away. "Let me see her again – should've been me from the start!" Her childhood sweetheart was aching. "Need to see her before Koh takes me -"

"_YUHAN, _shut up!" Hiroshu's booming voice was alarming. Even he was mortified by what his partner had just implied. "Listen to yourself, you idiot!" he yelled again, grabbing both chains into his hands and pulling with all his might. "R-Riya would think you're a moron!"

The sharp sound of her name finally caused Yuhan to snap his eyes back towards his patrol partner. He wanted to lash out again, to declare that the stupid agent had no right to tell him what Riya would or wouldn't think –

Hiroshu groaned loudly before his partner could say a word, his face oddly contorted as he dropped the chains and clenched both fists for a moment. For the first time, Yuhan noticed that the scar beneath his eye had healed…very quickly. There wasn't even a scab anymore, just a strange dark marking where the wound had been. "I-I have to tell you now," Hiroshu muttered slightly to himself, like a realization. His eyes darted to the side once more as the bells blared, and the faint sound of yelling voices echoed in the distance. Guards? "Yuhan, pull it together and listen to me for a moment. We don't have any time." He spoke quickly, but the weight of his words still caused him to hesitate every now and then. "It's not real, you hear me? None of it's real. You need to get out of here, and you need help. You've –"Hiroshu gave a long sigh, almost shaking his head from the irony. " – Well, you've been brainwashed."

For some reason, Yuhan felt horribly insulted and immediately went livid with rage, much to his partner's exasperation. _"WHAT?" _he ? Hiroshu wanted to suggest that the Dai Li could take down their head Peace Orator? Those sorry excuses for brainwashers and men? He'd never felt so sure of himself before, and he had no idea why. No one could brainwash him._"Gee, and I thought you were actually going to say something intelligent for a moment -"_

"_Of course _you aren't going to think you're converted. That was part of your own brainwashing protocol, moron! Aren't you the one who lectures everyone about -" Hiroshu stopped himself, remembering the urgency of the situation. "Just shut up and - okay, you know what?" His face grew dark with determination as he bit his lip. "Yuhan, the Earth King has invited you to Lake Laogai."

The icy sensation that suddenly took hold of Yuhan's body was horrifying. It couldn't be real. Why did that statement matter so much? Something was wrong, but he couldn't decide what. He just…needed to obey his duties. Everything would be alright if he obeyed his duties. His voice was no longer his, and it began speaking before he knew it. "I am… I'm honored…" No – Ba Sing Se wasn't a perfect city. Was it? Something was missing, but his duties called. "I'm honored t-to accept…his…" He paused. Something still hurt in his chest, and even Ba Sing Se couldn't cure it. Or could it? He was so confused.

A sharp pain in his forearm suddenly made him cringe as his wrist was pulled upwards. He looked down and stared blankly as each of the rigid fingers in his right hand were forced open. And when three strange disks suddenly filled the space of his palm, connected by an intricate series of leather bands…

Riya.

His world slammed into focus once more, for better or worse. Everything hurt again. Yuhan's eyes went horribly damp as he took in the sight of her bracelet, a foreign object of a sweet, distant past, complete with all the memories that were too good to be true. He just sat there staring at her gift, blinking in the silence, his breaths heavy. So…this was really what he'd done to countless citizens? His head felt light, like his thoughts could escape him any moment. As if he had to make sure with himself that each of them were his own.

"No wonder it took them so long to mess you up…" a distant voice murmured softly.

Looking up, Yuhan suddenly realized that Hiroshu had kneeled down to face him – and that he'd been the one who saved the bracelet. His vision became a bit clearer, and the voice grew sharper as it returned to its normal quality. It truly felt as if he were slowly watching his conscious return to him, bit by bit. What an unpleasant sensation. He must have been one of the most horrible people in existence with that stupid glowing lantern.

"Your conversion isn't even perfect. You have doubts, and you woke up freaking fast," his former patrol partner continued, his expression somehow mixed between pity and admiration. Yuhan was hardly paying attention, only nodding vaguely in response every now and then. Another crash in the distance caused Hiroshu's tone to pick up speed, however. "But you have to know that they really got you when..." His face dropped. It seemed like he wished anyone else in the world could take his place right now. "Yuhan, I'm – sorry. I'm really sorry. I didn't know." He couldn't look at his patrol partner anymore, reaching forward instead to fold Yuhan's confused fingers tightly over the bracelet. "We have no time," he declared again, practically reminding himself as well. "Yuhan… Look, it's been three months since you shot gloves at everyone and tackled Azula."

Yuhan's brows furrowed for a moment as the statement sank in. That was impossible. Surely he'd just turned on the organization no more than a week ago? It was still too fresh in his memory. At the same time, though, he sort of remembered a sleep-deprived agent who'd been highly respected for his conversion skills. Time assignments were easy. Just had to block off some distracting events here and there. Kept the more important alterations fresh in the mind… Yuhan stared down at the cords of the bracelet, then back at his partner. "Really…?" His voice was hardly audible.

"Three months. Took them that long. They got into your head back at Ba Sing Se, but they had to take you to the Fire Nation to finish – oh, we're in the Fire Nation by the way – because Azula wanted you to see the real thing and that's really difficult to create -" Hiroshu was speaking so quickly in his efforts to get it over with that Yuhan could hardly pick up the words in time "And you need to get out of here, because there's an eclipse right now and firebenders can't firebend when there's an eclipse. The Dai Li are all guarding the authorities, so you have to get out of here _right now _while there's time –"

"Hiroshu, why does this even matter?" Yuhan cut in, his fingers still trembling around the bracelet. He gave up trying to understand anything. The world never made any sense anyway. And she was gone. "What do you want from –"

"_She's not dead,_ Yuhan!" Hiroshu suddenly cried. Ironically, his tortured, guilt-ridden face wasn't very convincing.

Joo Dee laughed in the background. The traitor gazed slowly back at his former patrol partner, his eyes threatening murder. The stupidly weak lie had somehow struck him to the core, filling his chest with bitter coals. "I don't know what you're trying to do…but –"

"They made it real for you, alright?" Hiroshu's voice wavered, despite its urgency. "You – you should know how it works. The pain's real. It's supposed to make you unstable first…"

_Conversion suitable. _The twisted rule was still somewhere in his head. Yuhan almost laughed in disbelief. What in the world was he?

"…And then the pain's just shifted a little in your memory to focus on another target, but it just took really long to convince you, s-so…" Hiroshu bit his lip again as his head dropped sharply.

_Replacement Victim…? _He didn't want to know where this was going. Not even he had been assigned those kinds of conversions. In fact, they were more of a twisted legend from the early years, in which 'treachery used to be a huge issue' in the Dai Li. When the organization first decided to try brainwashing…because they were eliminating the agents who opposed. Swallowing slowly, the Peace Orator gazed helplessly towards his friend. "Hiroshu…this is insane…"

"I'm sorry, Yuhan." Hiroshu looked desperate to escape himself. He'd never wanted this kind of knowledge. "It…wasn't Riya. It took them forever to recreate her correctly – make a new memory – but they did it. And s-someone still died. She –" The agent suddenly stood up and turned his back, dragging his unprepared friend along with a horrible pull on his broken arm. His voice cracked as he finally spewed it all out. "Your mom was proud. Remember that. She told you she was proud of you. S-she wouldn't stop saying it. If you look deep inside…you'll remember. You have to."

The words fell like hammers, each of them striking his head and making it ring weirdly. It was the same numbness all over again, the complete loss of his surroundings. Yuhan's throat was trying to scream back a protest, yet made no sound. Hiroshu had to be wrong. Riya was dead. He could still see everything – the dagger, the grinning, the blood. But…there was someone else. Those words. There was someone else. And Joo Dee was suddenly nowhere to be seen.

_Shhh… It'll be okay… _

His throat grew painfully tight, constricting all the way down to his lungs. He wanted this new voice to go away. It drowned out Joo Dee's laughter, made the world hurt in a whole new different way. It was cutting into his head, rendering him senseless as Hiroshu tried desperately to keep him moving.

_Don't cry, Hannie… Keep your chin up …don't cry… _

"Yuhan." Hiroshu had grown still, his eyes locked on the passageway ahead. Time was growing short.

Footsteps began rumbling too close to them. "_Prisoner escape," _they cried.

"I'm so sorry, Yuhan – I didn't know they would take her!" Hiroshu's voice trembled as they ran, though his shaken friend was making it impossible to move anywhere. "I-I just saw them call all the Joo Dees, and I panicked, a-and – they really would've killed Riya! I didn't know they would do the replacement – I didn't know what to – I'm sorry! But you have to leave – now!"

"_What are you even talking about?!" _Yuhan bellowed all at once, the traumatizing fragments of memory splitting his chest open. He was suddenly so frightened of everything around him. Nothing was real anymore. He couldn't tell. "_What did you do to my head?" _The traitor thrashed and tried to pull away from the Dai Li agent, his eyes wild and his strange pupils unevenly dilated. It seemed as if the black and emerald were clashing with each other, at war over the truth, whatever it was. The black was presumably his conversion, the supposed lie – but the emerald wasn't much better. He was breaking apart.

"I'm sorry!" Hiroshu kept repeating it, his voice high and frantic as the guards kept yelling in the distance. "Yuhan – please –" He was struggling with all his might to keep his former patrol partner from curling up on the floor again. "The girl you love is still out there! Your mom wanted it that way!" The words seemed to trigger something else inside of Yuhan, whose hands only grasped his head tighter as he failed to understand. "Y-you have to go on for her – you'll see Riya again. The normal way! Don't let her down – MOVE, dammit! Run!" Hiroshu was beginning to despair himself, as the guards were drawing too close. He knew that he would end up just like his best friend at this rate; his family was still at the mercy of Ba Sing Se, and he was about to be exposed as a traitor. "Please… Yuhan, I can't -"

"Let me help him."

The deep voice was so sudden, but with a powerful quality that could silence an entire room. Even Yuhan, though trembling, looked up for a moment. Both pairs of green eyes went wide as they met the golden ones.

There was indeed an escaped prisoner, huge and muscular beneath his dirty, battered robes. Yuhan had just happened to be in the same passageway at this moment. The other traitor was whom the guards had been chasing in vain this entire time. He recognized the man at once, though his head was still spinning too much to make sense of anything…

"Get up." General Iroh's voice boomed into his ears once more. Two huge arms swooped down, pulling on his own more excruciatingly than Hiroshu ever could.

A few seconds later, however, the old tea brewer seemed to decide that Yuhan was simply too slow. And just like that, the world gave a chaotic lurch as the former Peace Orator's body was flung through the air. All the breath was knocked out of his lungs as his stomach painfully struck the rock-like surface of a wide shoulder. Hiroshu stared with his mouth slightly open.

"You have to stay?" Iroh asked swiftly, turning his head back towards the gawking Dai Li agent.

Hiroshu nodded meekly. His parents were still in Ba Sing Se. It was the Dai Li's foolproof system.

The general understood. "Go, then. Thank you for your kindness." His smile was short and stern, but sincere.

Yuhan was faintly aware of Hiroshu's emerald green robes flitting away into the shadows just before the mystery guards finally revealed themselves. They were dressed in foreign colors, sharp black outfits accented with red and gold, further proof that this was indeed the Fire Nation. Their faces were timid, and he realized that it was fear towards Iroh as soon as the first guard drew too close. The red-grey passageway twisted and flashed across his vision every time, but someone new was mysteriously knocked to the ground whenever it stabilized again.

Out of nowhere, his eyes were blinded with brilliant light. Yuhan even tried to lift his arms for a moment to cover them, forgetting that all the knives would stab as soon as he did. His aching head bobbed unsteadily with each heavy impact of the heavy footsteps beneath him, but at some point his face flipped upwards toward the glaring light.

Was that the sun? It was black with glowing edges, and it confused him. Typically a sun would have needed much more light than that to produce such blinding rays…

Had he really been in prison that long?

Yuhan's weary head lolled back down towards his useless, dangling arms, which flopped against Iroh's back as they ran – well, as the old man ran. The grassy ground was speeding past, its colors ever-changing. However, his emerald eyes caught sight of a peculiar gleam reflecting from inside his rigid fingers. He suddenly remembered that he hadn't let go of Riya's bracelet this entire time.

He began to feel something distantly familiar growing deep inside of his chest. The little tune was slow and cautious, not daring to call itself hope just yet, but it was alive. Like the bracelet that was supposed to be long gone, the shy girl with the hazel eyes could suddenly be thriving somewhere inside the Impenetrable City. Healthy and smiling, she could be waiting for the day the war was over. Waiting for him. It was such a strange and foreign idea. He couldn't envision it, but he could somehow feel it. Sort of.

But the former Peace Orator didn't trust any of his feelings. It was all wrong. His mother's voice haunted him, and he still had very vivid memories of Riya and the dagger. Were they both dead? He had never felt so hollow in his life, and he didn't even know which truth to blame it on. Yuhan kept staring down at his little bracelet. Either they were both dead…or he had betrayed the Dai Li to save Riya. At the cost of his mother.

_Don't cry, Hannie… _

As the tall, stony prison in the distance grew tinier and tinier, the crimson began to transform inside his memories. It wasn't flowing over a yellow uniform, but something much simpler. The mark of a woman who never cared for Upper Ring fashion, whose grey eyes never left his as she smiled warmly. Then the vision dissolved again. Back to Riya and her crimson hair. Or was it the same shade of his black hair, where crimson couldn't stand out?

_Goodnight, Agent Tsen. _

_I'm so proud of you - Yuhan. Keep your chin up. _

_The Earth King has invited you to Lake Laogai… _

Whatever creatures those voices belonged to, the broken Peace Orator wanted them to shut up. All of them. It was too loud, and he didn't want to hear any more. Everything was truth and lies all at once, and he just wanted it to stop. The Dai Li had messed him up.

_You and me both, Riya. _

It was the last conscious thought he had as his cold fingers dug into his pounding head. The little red streams that formed from his abused scalp ran subtly past the bracelet still looped tightly around his hand.

"_Would be great if we could find you a healer…should be plenty where we're going…I hear they can make some of the most exquisite smoked sea slugs, though I've always been more of a roast duck person…"_

His body still shaking, Yuhan naturally ignored that last voice as well, the weird and elderly one coming from below him. But it honestly didn't seem to care; it kept talking merrily as if he were actually listening for the rest of the twisted trip.

…

Somewhere deep inside the endless red of the Fire Nation Royal Palace, Agent Hiroshu Leung wasn't hungry. He'd left his fellow agents early. Not that they cared anyway, after such a successful day. The invasion had failed horribly, just as the princess promised. The Dai Li had never felt more satisfied about their leader. She made difficult problems look like a joke - like killing the Avatar. Then warding off his entire army during an eclipse. They wished she would give herself more credit, as she was currently too perplexed about the escape of General Iroh, her brother, _and_ Agent Yuhan Tsen to pay attention to her successes just yet.

Hiroshu's fingers regained feeling after it was confirmed that Iroh had indeed been acquainted with the treacherous agent before. Some of their messengers in Ba Sing Se had taken note of it, particularly when the peasant girl was still hanging around their Peace Orator. The general might've noticed his fellow traitor being dragged onto the ship back to the Fire Nation and decided to do him a favor, for all they knew. After all, a deranged agent couldn't possibly escape a prison like that by himself; Iroh had been the first successful escape, in fact. Understandable. It seemed like Princess Azula was just going to stick with that conclusion for now.

For now.

Staring blankly at the red ceiling of his assigned dorm as he lay flat on his back, Hiroshu found himself envying his deranged patrol partner. The kid was free – truly free.

…But at what cost?

It was going to plague his mind forever. He'd saved his patrol partner's girl…by sacrificing someone else. Unknowingly, but it didn't make the crime any less despicable. Who was he to make that choice for Yuhan? Would the kid even survive out there with all this insanity? Should he have just left him alone, and kept his family out of potential danger?

Hiroshu rolled over on his mattress, digging his face into a pillow. Honestly, he couldn't tell if he was any better than the rest of his organization.

…

"_Princess Azula commands all Joo Dees within the walls of Ba Sing Se to report to the Royal Palace! She asks that you disregard any other obligations and present yourselves immediately."_

"_We are honored to carry out her wishes. Princess Azula's word is supreme. Her will is our priority."_

_Crowds of yellow dresses marched with unnatural precision throughout the city. The citizens pitied them, but the fear kept them silent as they pretended not to notice._

_A figure in emerald robes noticed. _

_There she was. Oh, Spirits – there she was, just walking out in plain sight. The quiet girl with the hazel eyes and auburn hair, somewhere beneath that ugly grin. He suddenly realized that he had hoped for her never to appear. _

_It had taken several days. The messengers practically screamed the memo throughout every corner of the city before it finally reached her ears, wherever the kid had hidden her. The Fire Nation princess was so fixated on snuffing out this one helpless peasant girl, the one who mattered most to the traitor, that it hurt to watch. _

_And he didn't know what to do. _

_She kept walking. No one else noticed her yet. The remaining Joo Dees these days often popped out at unexpected times, and the first agent who happened to spot them would just herd them along with the others accordingly. Agents like him. _

_She kept walking. Yuhan loved her. _

_But he was a Dai Li agent. _

_His veins threatened to burst from the pressure. The panic pulsed through them with every frantic beat of his chest. _

_Yuhan loved her. _

_He had to obey his duties. _

_But Yuhan loved her. _

_Duties. He had to ignore her. _

_The first green uniform that caught his eye in the distance sent him running before he knew it. _

_She kept walking. The shabby buildings surrounding her were beginning to lessen, threatening to expose her to the other agent any minute. _

_He was still running, unable to tell if he was more terrified for his life or hers. But his best friend loved her. _

_He didn't know what he was doing. _

"_Joo Dee – stop!" _

"_I apologize. I must report to Princess –" _

"_The Earth King has invited you to Lake Laogai!" _

_The words felt icy cold on his lips, the terror and disbelief at himself making him tremble as he stared into her hollow eyes._

_Her eyes grew wide and stopped blinking. "I am honored to accept his invitation." _

_His voice was shouting, yet whispering. Power without volume. He didn't know what he was doing. "You did not hear any commands from Princess Azula!" _

_She remained silent. _

_The paranoia kept adding more and more forbidden words before he could stop himself. "If she doesn't tell you herself, don't listen to her commands ever again unless you hear it from _me, _got it? My word comes before those useless messenger boys! So get out of here! Don't let any of us see you ever again!" _

_Something twisted in his chest for a moment. "Unless – unless it's Agent Yuhan Tsen. Now get out." _

"_I understand. Your wish is my command." _

_She understood. He couldn't believe that she actually understood. Simply deleting and adding in commands like that – he'd seen his patrol partner do it. But not _him_. Never him. What just happened? _

_Her yellow dress disappeared from sight before he could even feel the horror of his actions. _

_What had he just done? _

_He was a traitor, too. Wide-eyed and petrified with fear, he waited for the other agent to call him out. Someone was going to catch him. Someone was going to punish him. He didn't want to end up like Yuhan. The agent had never felt this much terror in his life. Maybe it was better to kill himself now while he had the chance? But then his parents…they were still out there… _

_Seconds ticked by, then minutes. Then hours. Nothing happened. The agent was terrified. _

_She'd probably been sent outside the city, they said. The messengers had checked off every possible corner within the walls. She never appeared. _

_His patrol partner loved her, and she was gone from sight._

_A few days later, they decided to try an alternative. They never truly gave up, and neither did the princess. _

_The agent was terrified. _


	22. From Darkness to Light

Geez, my updating's been getting terrible these days. 5 months! But I finally found time to sit down and write again, and this emerged after a long battle with writer's block.

* * *

><p><em>He was one of the most dedicated agents in all of Ba Sing Se. He was never caught sleeping on the job, and he was never late. No matter how ghastly the dark circles swam beneath his eyes. <em>

_Never. _

"_Yuhan?" _

_Her sweet voice was so soft, so soothing to his ears. It made the world go quiet, made his head feel light, urged him to close his eyes…_

"_Yuhan, you've lost too much sleep this week. Your forehead's burning up! You can't stay like that… Come on… off the kitchen table…here…" _

_He hadn't really fallen unconscious then, over her kitchen table. And she wasn't actually strong enough to carry his weight across the room, but he let her support him anyway, let her lead him away, lay him down, and cover him with a pile of blankets like a small child. Just to keep hearing her gentle voice. _

_His head spun weirdly, and his sweat ran colder as his fever worsened, but he couldn't rest. He was a Dai Li agent. _

"_Yuhan… You should sleep." _

_It was so hard to stay awake. It had never been so difficult in his life. And then… _

"_You're still so cold." _

_He finally stopped shivering when she curled up next to him, rested her head against his chest to add her warmth to his body beneath the blankets. Was she uncomfortable like that? His mind faintly wondered this as her small body pressed against the thick, almost sharp folds of his crisp uniform. It was the last, hazy thought his mind could muster as he glimpsed down at her face, which gazed back ever so softly. "Go to sleep, Yuhan," she whispered. _

…

"_I'M LATE!" _

_He bolted out of her door that night, after he practically screamed in her face and could only offer a little kiss on her cheek before running back to headquarters like a pathetic dog to Long Feng. But he would always wonder, every night after that one, if she knew. _

_Did she know that he had wanted dearly to stay with her? Did she know that her somber eyes had almost caused him to turn around? _

_Would she ever know that he'd never fallen asleep so peacefully before in his life? _

…

"Riya…" murmured a soft, feeble voice. The sound was too weak to produce any real volume, diminishing into more of a hollow whisper by the time the second syllable was uttered. An equally lifeless pair of eyes opened a few seconds later, though the sunken lids were so heavy that only the slightest hint of green could peer out from between the two slits. The dull, hazy gaze didn't seem to be looking at anything in particular; it was staring vaguely, still lingering with remnants of a dream that it no longer understood.

This was…familiar, wasn't it? The emerald eyes blinked slowly. Yuhan was extremely cold, and the world was spinning weirdly. His gaze travelled upwards and noticed the damp cloth folded neatly across his forehead. Yes…this was just like that strange vision he'd just woken from. He'd been tucked into a warm bed with clean sheets to cover his shivering body. A cool breeze brushed his face lightly as it drifted in from an open window somewhere to his left. There was that same, quiet air about him, an environment that kept urging him to rest some more…

The delirious eyes suddenly came into focus as the last traces of sleep wore off, and his expression immediately twisted into to its usual haggard mess of emotions. No, of course this wasn't the same. How could it be? _Riya isn't here anymore. _As soon as the bitter statement crossed his mind, however, Yuhan's head gave a painful throb that drained too much energy to think any longer. His eyes faded back into their vague, cloudy stare as he exhaled slowly. He wasn't sure where he was anymore, and he didn't care enough to wonder.

"How are you feeling?" spoke a deep voice from above.

Yuhan slowly turned towards the sound, his hazy eyes struggling to open themselves a bit wider. Two identical faces were looking down at him, floating hazily and crossing each other a few times before focusing into one. It had a black topknot, along with a neatly trimmed mustache that circled down into a short, dark beard. For some reason, the only thing Yuhan's mind really registered was that it was unfamiliar. "Um… Where's Mushi – er, Iroh?" he asked groggily.

There was a laugh. "Now that's a cover name I haven't heard yet…" The mysterious, dark-tanned man slowly took a seat next to the little bed that sheltered Yuhan. "I've sent my butler to let him know that you're awake, young stranger." His grey eyes were aged, not quite as ancient-looking as Iroh's but still deep with unspoken wisdom. He sported a rather classy, yet simple style overall, unfamiliar to Yuhan with the gold-edged maroon of his changshan robe and crimson trousers. "Please allow me to introduce myself," said the man, reaching forward to pull the wet towel from Yuhan's forehead before beckoning a young servant from across the room to replace it. "My name is Piandao, and you have been brought to my home in the city of Shu Jing."

Yuhan scrunched his face as the unfamiliar name flew over his head. "Shu…Jing?" His faint gaze floated about the elegant room, following the polished red ceiling beams to the wide, embellished windows. The slight breeze carried in fresh air from the vibrant hills and waterfalls outside.

"Ah yes, Iroh did mention that you're not from around here," Piandao replied with a smile. "My old friend tells me all kinds of stories about his travels, all kinds of stories about the world's people." His grey eyes were intrigued by the confused emerald ones peering back. "It has been several years, however, since I've encountered an individual from the grand city of Ba Sing Se."

There was no reply from the injured earthbender, who shifted his gaze instead towards the young servant placing a fresh new towel over his forehead. The last thing he really wanted to hear about right now was that failure of a city.

"Yuhan, is it?" the old noble asked pleasantly, causing a slight twitch from his younger acquaintance. He wasn't used to the high class addressing him so casually – which made him realize how long he must have gotten used to 'Agent Tsen' for his own first name to feel so unnatural. "I'm aware that the Fire Nation authority has not treated you kindly." Piandao sighed as he observed his shivering, delirious acquaintance, who only seemed to be aware of every other sentence he spoke. "It's unfortunate that the most noble deeds so often suffer the worst consequences."

Something about that last sentence caught Yuhan's attention again. He slowly looked back with the most peculiar expression. "Huh…?"

"Oh – perhaps you would like to know the details of your condition," Piandao explained, inhaling and sitting up straighter as he cleared his throat. "You face a dangerous illness. The untreated damage caused by the deep fractures within your arms has developed an infection over time." There was a hesitant pause. "When you arrived here with Iroh…it had begun to spread to your bloodstream." Despite the growing severity of the words, the dull face staring back at Piandao didn't seem affected at all as it listened quietly. "I've tried my best to curb the onslaught of blood poisoning with the medicines I have, but you will likely have to be treated by advanced healers before –"

"Nono, none of that really matters that much…to me…" Yuhan interrupted, his voice soft and wispy as his headache pounded. "I mean…it's just – why…?"

Raising a brow, Piandao leaned closer to listen. "To what are you referring?"

Yuhan's face contorted again as he struggled to focus his gaze upon the Fire Nation noble. "I – well… Why exactly are you helping me?" There was a heavy moment of silence. "I mean – you're very kind for doing all this but…'noble?' Think you've got the wrong person…because – agh!" His headache suddenly shot through his entire skull in one excruciating pulse. All of the horrible visions immediately flashed across his demented irises. The green uniforms. Her grinning face. The glowing lantern. His mother. The slightest reminder of his dark past seemed to trigger the worst of his illness. Yuhan tried to raise his arms to grasp his pounding head, but the endless fractures only burned as they met the resistance of two tightly wrapped wooden braces.

A slightly alarmed Piandao reached forward to steady the convulsing earthbender, who'd tried to sit up but was too dizzy from the pain to balance himself. "You should refrain from straining your mind, my troubled friend. It has also been damaged." His addressee eventually went limp again as Piandao laid him back down gently. "Trying to understand your scattered memory right now will only confuse you."

His sweat running cold, Yuhan's head bleakly shook back and forth as the young servant returned to pull the blankets back over his bare chest. "I-I know that they messed up my head…" he muttered, watching the room spin in odd colors. "But I'm pretty sure I was a messed up person to begin with. I probably deserve all this." Breathing heavily, he winced as his head gave another throb and rested his eyes once more.

Piandao took in a deep breath as he leaned back into his chair, a sad smile accompanying his distant eyes as he gazed out of the open windows. "The darkness of the life you knew in is a difficult one to recover from, I admit…" The injured earthbender only seemed to nod along in agreement as he laid there sullenly. "But in these situations, what matters more is not what we know of our past, but what we can do in the present. No matter how difficult things seem now, there is always something a man can still do to bring light to the world."

Yuhan sighed as he remained silent, too tired to protest at the moment.

"I still sense much light in you, much potential for good – and my friend Iroh speaks of many admirable qualities as well. It is more than enough to 'deserve' my aid, if that is your concern. Your life has not fallen so low that it is no longer worth preserving, no, it is far from it…"

O/O

_No matter how difficult things seem now, there is always something a man can still do to bring light to the world…_

At the same time a wise old swordsman spoke to an injured earthbender somewhere across the world, a young and healthy Dai Li agent quietly made his way down the streets of Ba Sing Se once more. His uniform matched a couple of friends buzzing about him as they walked in a group, though he was the only one who seemed oddly detached from the chipper conversation.

"Ah, it's been forever, hasn't it? I never realized how tired I could get of the color red! Home sweet home, green sweet green…!"

"Spirits, my wife is going to be furious with me when she finds out we can only stay for 2 weeks. She'd wanted at least a month."

"Your wife is _always_ mad at you, Jian."

"What about you, Hiroshu? Are you visiting your parents soon or d'you wanna grab some lunch first?"

"Oh – huh?" Hiroshu looked back up like one who'd just been slapped awake. He'd been somberly observing all the green-tiled rooftops of the Middle Ring, imagining that they were all slowly transforming into an infectious, Fire Nation red. The question had flown straight over his head as he stared back blankly.

"Lunch? Or meet up later after we see our families?" repeated Jian, a carefree smile twinkling in his bright green eyes as he waited for a reply. The happily married man appeared to be Hiroshu's unofficial patrol partner replacement. Not that a new patrol partner had ever been assigned; the Dai Li no longer lived in Ba Sing Se where those kinds of duties were carried out. Nonetheless, the agents always seemed to break back into their pairs every time a group was sent on a routinely visit to Ba Sing Se for a city checkup. As Hiroshu's friend even before the 'traitor fiasco,' however, Jian had offered to hang out with him along with his own patrol partner when they were grouped together for a city visit. No one really wanted to speak of Yuhan; they knew better than to mention him around Hiroshu, whom they were certain he'd insulted severely with his treachery.

"Mmm… I'd say lunch," Hiroshu finally replied with a grin. "Come on guys, I'm hungry, and you know I'm not a fan of spicy food. I'm going to hoard as much delicious hometown grub as I can before anyone makes me eat those boiling fire flakes again!"

"Ah, of course!" laughed Quan, trainer of Ba Sing Se's Joo Dees and patrol partner of Jian. "Hiroshu can't last a second without his food. But to be honest, I'm hungry too. Where's that new noodle place that opened up recently…?"

It was a strained smile Hiroshu upheld as he conversed merrily with his friends. The truth was that he wasn't quite sure he wanted to see his parents. He hadn't seen them in several months, and he'd never faced them even once ever since the Fire Nation takeover. He knew that by law, they weren't allowed to protest the change and would put on a show of support like every other citizen – but what would their eyes tell him if he were forced to look into them? What did they think of Yuhan, the only agent with enough guts to fight back, the patrol partner who had always been everything he wasn't?

A hideous sound suddenly pierced the air and dispersed his thoughts. Hiroshu looked about to identify the source, scrunching his eyes. What on earth was that coming from, some sort of choking creature? The noise was a disgusting mixture of gurgling, hacking, and fragmented wheezing. If it was an animal, then he practically had the urge to go find it just to put it out of its misery –

Oh.

Hiroshu went eerily silent as his friends pointed and laughed.

"Wow, that Joo Dee has it _bad_," sneered Jian, who'd been the first to identify the source. He was motioning towards a very sickly young woman who walked several meters ahead. She had a slender figure with silky, almost reflective brown hair that floated just above her shoulders in a straight trim. Her tight green hairpiece trembled along with the rest of her body as she coughed repeatedly. At some point, she hacked so violently that an elegant scroll slipped from inside her yellow sleeve and rolled across the ground. She desperately tried to ward off the crowded passerby with numerous "Excuse me"s as she reached feebly towards the misplaced letter.

"Hey, I think I've seen her before!" Quan commented more casually than ever, completely unfazed by the woman's pitiful efforts to tuck the letter back into her sleeve. "Might explain why she's not even doing anything about her sickness. Her conversion had to be made extra strict because she went crazy before and almost woke up…" He paused for a moment upon noticing the other two agents' puzzled faces. "Oh! You see, I was called to the Palace that one time Long Feng was trying to stop the Kuei from finding out about the war – anyway, this girl popped out of nowhere and she was _still_ sick. She remembered her name and then Yuhan had to – OH I mean…uh…" Quan immediately regretted mentioning the traitor as Jian shot him a warning glare.

However, Hiroshu's silence had more to do with his concern towards the young woman than any bitter feelings about his former patrol partner. He'd stopped listening to the story long ago, because Joo Dee was now teetering dangerously close to the edge of the paved road as she tried to avoid the traffic of the passerby. Said road being the same one that a very large carriage happened to be speeding down at an alarming rate. "Um, guys…?" he began awkwardly, pointing towards the lightning-fast ostrich horses and then at the wobbly figure in yellow. "Isn't that kind of dangerous?"

It was a good thing that Quan and Jian didn't notice the horribly dark expression that flashed across his eyes as they laughed. "Okay, Hiroshu…" chuckled Jian, shaking his head a little. "You really want to stick around to watch a diseased Joo Dee? Come on, we're all hungry, and it's not like anyone's actually stupid to walk out in front of a speeding carriage -" He suddenly paused when he realized that his addressee was missing. "Hiroshu?"

A bewildered pair of patrol partners looked just in time to see their friend charging ahead towards the young woman – who had choked so horribly in her next coughing fit that the letter slipped again. She'd tripped and staggered onto the paved road, and she was so weak by then that she could only hunch over on her knees as the scroll rolled away uselessly, her head hanging low to the ground as she wheezed.

And of course, she was completely oblivious to the carriage and screeching ostrich horses that would never stop in time to avoid her.

As the horrified passerby watched, a flash of emerald suddenly threw itself into the tiny remaining space between Joo Dee and the looming carriage. There was lots of terrified screaming from the driver, lots of screeching from the wooden wheels – then a horribly loud rumble like an earthquake followed by an even louder crash.

The collision of the carriage against a massive dome of earth caused lots of rocky fragments to fly about, the dust creating a thick, dirty cloud that concealed the scene for several heavy seconds. The driver, a bony delivery boy who'd leapt off to the side just before impact, was helped up by some kind passerby as he coughed and rubbed his eyes. He squinted a little to see more clearly as a dark figure in emerald slowly emerged from within the earthen dome, carrying with it a much thinner figure in yellow… The dust cleared and almost everyone watching widened their eyes at the sight.

Hiroshu carefully avoided all the cracks and debris littering the ground as he stepped forward, his head finally beginning to clear now that Joo Dee was secured in his arms. He blinked a bit in the silence, looking around confusedly almost as if he himself were unsure of how he ended up here. All he remembered was that there was some stupid Joo Dee, then there was this carriage, and then there was this death-cough or something, and then Joo Dee was going to die, and then he picked her up, and then the stupid carriage was in his way…uh… He suddenly realized how many people were watching him.

_They really don't have to stare this much…geez… _

Hiroshu examined all the googly-eyed commoners before his gaze found Jian and Quan in the distance, who were waving to him slowly as if to ask if he wanted to postpone their lunch plans. He shrugged in response, an unofficial cue for them to go ahead and leave.

They were gone from sight within seconds.

Sighing loudly, Hiroshu couldn't help feeling terribly irritated that those idiots in pointy hats seriously saw this as no more than some lunch interruption. Really, it wasn't as if he worshipped life or found anything wrong with killing annoying people, but this was just…too pitiful…even for him. As his foot hit a piece of wooden debris with the next step, however, Hiroshu suddenly remembered about the carriage and turned around to look. "Aw, shoot…" It was a complete wreck, its frame crushed beyond all hope with its packages spilling everywhere, and one ostrich horse had fled after its reins snapped loose while the other still limped about with a newly injured leg. The Dai Li agent wheeled back around, causing the spectators to flinch as he called out to them. "Hey, where's the driver of this thing?"

It took a few good seconds before the skinny boy in charge of the carriage had enough courage to approach the ominous Dai Li agent with trembling hands. "I-I was steering this vehicle, s-sir."

"Oh. Sorry about that." Hiroshu flicked his head bluntly towards his earth-dome a few meters away. "If you can estimate the damage costs, I'll pay you ba –"

A young woman cleared her throat, causing the Dai Li agent to look down towards the frail figure resting his arms. "Agent Leung?" She grinned widely.

Hiroshu suddenly looked upon himself and the sickly Joo Dee as if he were a spectator watching from the outside, with their figures standing out conspicuously in a crowd of commoners. It finally hit him at that moment how…incredibly weird he must've looked. Yes, he'd just jumped in front of a carriage, blew it back with a giant barrier…and emerged from the crash carrying this random, brainwashed girl out bridal-style. And everyone. Would not stop staring. What on earth had he gotten himself into? _Bloody Ream of Koh… _"What?" he retorted irritably as he addressed Joo Dee's pale, grinning face.

"You are acting unprofessionally." She waited ever so patiently for him to put her back down, despite her shivering body.

The way Hiroshu's brow twitched made the passerby worry that he was considering throwing her back in front of another raging carriage. "_Well, _the way you fell oh-so-gracefully right in front of life-threatening traffic was also unprofessional!" he barked, apparently forgetting all about the spectators for a moment.

"'Fell'? With all due respect, sir, I did not 'fall.' It was intentional!" Joo Dee's laughter was more of a haggard wheeze. The young driver could only stare back in forth between her and the fuming Dai Li agent. "I was m-merely examining the fine, exquisite pavement of Ba Sing Se," she explained, practically coughing between every syllable. "It is the most beautiful _(cough) _city in every way, and _(cough) _I could not help but be overwhelmed by that beauty!"

Hiroshu dully looked past the ill girl and down at the pavement. It was the ugliest arrangement of flat bricks he'd ever seen, complete with dried mud and numerous weeds poking out between cracks. "…Right. So, you didn't stumble because you were sick or anything?"

"Sick? Not at all!" The way Joo Dee suddenly hacked and nearly spit mucus in Hiroshu's face was very unflattering. "Please, sir, I am p-perfectly healthy and ready for duty. Will you please allow me t-to retrieve my letter? It is very important _(cough)_ that I deliver it _(cough)_ on time."

With a wrench of his chest, Hiroshu suddenly forgot how to be angry. Oh, Spirits… He really should have known better than to argue with a Joo Dee. Of course she was acting like this. Duties came before health, before life itself. Even sickness was no excuse to slow them down. "Okay, Joo Dee…" he began slowly, thinking long and hard for a moment. The young woman kept grinning as she waited quietly. "You know what? Forget that letter and just stay put."

Joo Dee seemed aghast as the horror of failing her delivery duties made her bloodshot eyes go wide. "Sir –"

"That's an order."

"…Yes, sir." Joo Dee drooped as the rules of obedience automatically silenced her.

Hiroshu groaned as he threw his head back for a moment. "Oh fine, if it'll make you feel better…" He looked back towards the ever-growing crowd of spectators, then spotted the elegant scroll lying across the street. "Hey, I'll pay anyone who finds and delivers that letter for her on time!" he called out. "Just ask for an 'Agent Leung' and you'll reach me."

The Dai Li agent took his chance to slip away as a crowd of commoners charged towards the misplaced scroll in a mad rush. He looked down at the sickly face staring back up at him, suddenly noticing how her brilliant green eyes still managed to stand out against the sunken black pools of disease surrounding them. Clearing his throat uncomfortably, he quickly looked back forward. "Joo Dee, you are to find out the name and trade of that carriage driver after we come back, and you'll see to it that the damages are all paid for, you hear me?" he told her. The delivery boy in the distance who'd still been watching them froze at that moment, staring after their retreating figures in disbelief.

"Of course, sir," replied a coughing, forever-grinning Joo Dee. "But where are we going?"

"To make sure you get healthy enough not to kill yourself next time," muttered Hiroshu, carrying her away from the last of the bewildered spectators and disappearing from sight.

O/O

_Where was she? _

_He was standing at the entrance of an abandoned house. The door had been left open, creaking eerily in the wind as he peered inside. "Riya…?" It was during these moments that her real name suddenly surfaced, rather than the usual 'Afro Girl.' He couldn't find her, and he didn't know why. _

"_YUHAN!" The shrill voice of his mother made his hair stand on end as he twisted around in surprise. It was also during these moments that his real name surfaced as well, rather than the usual 'Hannie.' Real names were always used whenever something was wrong. _

"_Didn't I tell you not to come back here?" Ning screamed, causing the little boy to cringe from the sheer volume. "You could get sick!" She marched over, ready to drag him away by the wrist – until she felt his tiny hand meekly place itself inside of hers voluntarily. Her enraged worry suddenly came to a screeching halt when she looked down into his eyes. _

"_Mommy…is she coming back?" _

_Ning swallowed hard and looked away for a moment as she tightened her fingers around his. "Oh, Hannie…" What was she supposed to tell the poor child? That Riya's parents were taken by the plague, just like that? That the last she ever saw of the little girl was a frail, ill body being carried away by a solemn agent of the Dai Li? _

_His mother never replied. They walked hand in hand for the rest of the way home. He was tucked into bed with extra kisses that night, and woke up in the morning to the scent of all his favorite foods being cooked for breakfast. _

_Life went on without much trouble. There was a day he realized that he'd still never lost a game of Earth Soccer. There was another day when his proud mother realized he had become a more formidable earthbender than she was. And finally, there was a day when he emerged in emerald robes as a more formidable earthbender than most of Ba Sing Se. _

_But there was also a day, during his spare time, in which he whittled a little badgermole out of wood, placing it next to a little armadillo lion made of stone when he finished. It was an unusual hobby that had stuck with him through the years, a mysterious suggestion that there was more to life than brainwashing and earthbending. He never really understood it. _

_Nonetheless, he would always return to his duties before long. There were a lot of things to worry about in life now, things more important than soccer games, 'woodbending,' or Afro Girl. But still…could anyone ever answer that one little question? It wasn't a big deal or anything, just one of those things that never left his mind. Just a random friend from a random past...but still a random question that no one could answer. _

_Where was she? _

…

"Ugh…" Yuhan's eyes fluttered open as he forgot for the hundredth time where he was. The silken red blankets that covered him were no longer enough to keep him warm these days. There was an iciness that ran throughout his veins and kept him shivering like mad, no matter how many layers of sheets Piandao's servants draped over his body.

A fuzzy pair of bright golden eyes passed over him for a moment before floating back away. _"How much time…?" _they asked, addressing someone who must have been standing nearby. Yuhan was far too tired to look.

"_Should be tomorrow at latest you'll be ready to depart…" _

"_Urgent… Infection has reached critical condition…" _

Yuhan winced as his head suddenly gave another throb – and just for that moment, his vision randomly focused again. The two cloudy voices rang clear through the air, causing him to turn his face slowly towards them in his confusion.

Iroh and Piandao were sitting a couple of meters away, murmuring softly amongst themselves something about the state of his illness and tracing their fingers over a world map laid out over their tea table. The former was the first to notice his movement, however, and turned to him with a warm smile. "How wonderful of you to join us again, my friend!" Iroh was donning the same maroon robes as Piandao, only with a shorter and bulkier build. He no longer had the raggedy prisoner look, and his neatly groomed silver hair highlighted his wise, noble features as he spoke. "Here, I've prepared a fresh pot of tea for you, ginger with a pinch of chamomile and just a touch of lemon." The injured earthbender gazed back vaguely, blinking in delirious silence as the old general stood up and carried over his brew in a porcelain teapot. "It will ease your pain and help calm your mind. You could use a healthy, relaxing sleep more often."

It wasn't as if he had any strength left to protest, but Yuhan still flinched from the slight shift in his arms as Iroh reached behind him and gently propped him up to sit. Too tired to think, he sighed and let the old general lift the filled porcelain cup to his lips, allowing the hot brew to run down his throat. The steam soothed his lungs and stopped his shivering for a few moments, and the voices that always plagued his head grew a little softer, the world a little quieter.

But regardless of any old man's efforts to baby him, Yuhan could still feel a heavy pit deep within of his chest that never refused to budge. He knew that his head was messed up, but he also knew that this pain had to be the truth. It was the only thing that never changed, regardless of his 'good days' or 'bad days' of delirium, as Piandao often referred to them. Whatever he had done in the past…it was still unforgiveable. Which was why he could never understand..."You know," he said meekly, gazing after a stubbornly cheerful Iroh as the old general gently placed the teacup back down upon the table. "It's not that I don't recognize your kindness…you guys…" He couldn't help feeling irked that the sluggish quality of his voice was somehow eliciting a few chuckles from his elderly caretakers. "But…do you know…why I was locked up…in the first place?" The dark memories that swirled around his head threatened to burst for a few seconds, and he gritted his teeth to compose himself. "What if…I was supposed to stay there for a reason?"

Iroh, who'd poured his own generous helping of tea, took a deep sip from his cup with a long and satisfied '_ahhh…' _before he actually spoke. "You are asking us questions you have already decided the answer to, my friend. Your mind is set on despair." He smiled sadly when only silence replied. "However, our minds have a funny way of working. Too often we assume that our memories are presented to us as a complete, unbiased collection, that we can look back upon our lives at any moment and judge its worth." The old general leaned back thoughtfully in his chair, gazing out the open windows as the teacup rested in his hands. "But our darker memories are actually quite unfair to our brighter ones. A minute of sorrow can destroy years of happiness, and even the smallest mistake can make you forget a lifetime of honor."

Yuhan's bloodshot eyes peered back skeptically. "Honor…?" His gaze travelled back and forth between Iroh and Piandao. They seemed so sophisticated, so noble and skilled in combat – which for some reason, he had the feeling Piandao was some sort of master just from his demeanor. What was someone like Yuhan doing near them? "I think you've got it wrong…" murmured the sickly earthbender. "_You _guys are honorable. Not me. Just…look at me…" He was less than half their age, and yet twice as weak and pitiful. All he was now was the deranged byproduct of the Dai Li's brainwashing system, and he couldn't even feed himself.

Iroh made his way over again, gently repositioning the wet towel that had slid to the side of the earthbender's forehead. "I see you clearly, Yuhan." He shuffled back into his seat with another generous sip from his teacup. "Indeed, I see so much darkness…so many crimes that burden you…but I also see light. It has always been there, and it still remains today. Your efforts to protect it are what made you an honorable man." His golden eyes twinkled as he smiled. "It's called love, Yuhan. Don't you remember it?"

Yuhan was taken aback. Oh, Spirits. There they were again, all the flickering visions of Riya's gorgeous, pure face coming back to mock him, to remind him of what he'd ruined. "I was raised by a group who operates in a secret underground headquarters and makes a point to cover their own faces from the sun," he replied dully. "We're lowly creatures of shadow that will ruin anything you care about if you give us the chance. There's no light, Iroh."

Piandao spoke up from across the room. "Your agent friend entrusted you to Iroh's care for a purpose, young man. If there were no greater destiny in store for you, then why were you freed?"

Yuhan paused for a moment. "…Because Hiroshu's stupid?"

Both the old men laughed this time as the former Peace Orator slumped against his pillow. "Dark memories are so stubborn for attention!" remarked the old general. "As difficult as it is, however, you must not let your sorrow cloud your memory of the light that still shines in your life." He gazed intently into Yuhan's delirious eyes. "You have suffered, you have doubts, and you still have much to endure…but you must never forget. "

Iroh couldn't help sharing worried glances with Piandao when he suddenly realized that his injured acquaintance had already fallen unconscious again. Sighing, he finished the last of his speech to himself. "Your illness is becoming dangerous…but you must not let it claim you. Riya is still here, Yuhan, and you cannot give up now. You have a duty to protect your light."

O/O

"_And the first step to preserving that light, my young friend…is simply to remember that it's still here." _

A loud, irritated voice was scowling throughout Ba Sing Se's Upper Ring. "Nothing to see here! Carry on, peasants. Have you forgotten how to regard your superiors? Heads down, eyes away, shoo!"

Hiroshu was throwing out practically every line of authority he knew from the Dai Li, threats included. Anything to get the passerby to stop…freaking…staring. He and Joo Dee looked bizarre even in the Upper Ring, where he'd thought the citizens had enough manners to mind their own business. But apparently a Dai Li agent carrying a random sick girl just _had_ to be stared at everywhere he went. It only seemed to make it worse that Joo Dee had fallen into a troubled slumber by now, still wheezing softly with every breath as her head rested limply against his chest. Hiroshu glared at the spectators as he marched forward. What, did they think he was carrying her to her doom or something? Were they wondering what kind of brainwashing horrors he must have planned for her?

…Or did they wonder why a Dai Li agent would actually care about a sick person?

Okay, no. He - well, the Dai Li – couldn't be _that _bad. They weren't that evil! Hiroshu paused for a moment as he looked upon the polished rooftops of an approaching shopping complex in the distance. Well okay, so maybe there was that time he ignored the Lower Ring's request to have access to the advanced medicines of the Upper Ring. And maybe there was that other time he sort of didn't care when they started complaining about some plague, because he was in the middle of a Pai Sho game… Okay – actually, why _was_ he paying attention to a sick person? Hiroshu gazed down slowly at her unconscious face. Dark lashes, full yet modest lips, smooth skin, and a gracefully slender figure… Hmm, shame she was as diseased as a zombie. Probably would've been a pretty girl if she were normal.

_If she were normal. _

With a pang, the Dai Li agent suddenly remembered that 'normal' meant much more than good health for this young woman. She was a Joo Dee, a nobody, and – wait - EW, did he just check out a _Joo Dee? _Hiroshu's natural habits and quirks from the Dai Li immediately kicked in. Oh Dear Spirits, it was a sad day… His friends would never let him live it down if they thought he was attracted to creepy, robotic grins.

Yet…he suddenly remembered that his best friend was deeply in love with a Joo Dee. And Riya wasn't a nobody. The Dai Li agent was taken aback immediately.

Hiroshu found himself looking into his escort's ghastly face once more. The truth was that he really knew nothing about this girl. How could he have insulted her so shallowly? There could be anyone hidden beneath that creepy grin. Was she also loved? Was she missed like Riya?

Who still remembered her?

With no free hands, Hiroshu kicked open the door of the little medicine shop at the corner of the complex and stomped inside, causing many passerby to jump from the noise. He spotted the merchant, a short old man in loose green and white robes, and marched straight to the counter with Joo Dee. After all, it didn't really matter who she was if she was tripping everywhere with a death wish.

The old merchant seemed to shrink beneath Hiroshu's dark, ominously tall shadow. He glanced uncomfortably towards Joo Dee for a moment, as if being presented a dead body. "C-can I help you, sir?"

Hiroshu tried to ignore the eyes of all the other customers he could feel staring at his back. "Well, yeah." He flicked his gaze towards the sickly young woman in his arms. "Do you know what's wrong with her?"

"…Huh?"

"What's wrong with this girl?" Hiroshu pushed Joo Dee even closer to the bewildered merchant, who stared with a hand hovering over his mouth as if trying to avoid her germs. "She was going around like a dying fish and nearly got run over by a carriage!"

"O-oh...you mean a diagnosis. Yes, I-I can do that," replied the bumbling merchant. His wrinkled eyes slowly scanned the pale, ghastly face of the brainwashed girl. "Well, she shouldn't r-really be walking in this state… You see, it's a highly dangerous type of fever that develops from fungal infection in the –"

"Okay, maybe I don't want to know what's wrong with her," Hiroshu cut in hastily, suddenly realizing that he'd picked up a girl with a potentially disgusting disease without a thought. "Just – tell me if you can fix it. Do you have anything for this…fungus fever thing?"

It was hard to tell who was more uncomfortable at this point, the merchant or the Dai Li agent. The former was too intimidated to speak normally, while the latter had no idea how to sound friendly to a commoner. "Y-yes, we do have some of the finest treatments for her condition, sir, though…the price…you might not…erm..."

"Just fix her," declared Hiroshu. "It'll be on me."

He could've sworn that this geezer was just born to make things awkward. "O-on…you, sir?"

"I mean 'on me' as in, I'm paying for it you know?" Hiroshu thought about it for a moment. "And actually, every time you see her drop by here from now on, make sure she never looks this hideous again. I'll have a messenger send you any funds I owe every month or so. And…uh…" Joo Dee's wheezing breaths filled the silence for a few seconds. "Say, she isn't contagious is she?"

"U-um…"

The agent sighed as Joo Dee wheezed louder than ever in the background. "…Yeah, just throw in in an extra supply of the cure for me while you're at it."

…

There was a strange relief that came with ordering Joo Dee to empty every vial of medicine down her throat. Hiroshu felt a little stupid for it, but he couldn't help trying to imagine what she'd look like when she returned healthy one of these days. Probably a pretty girl, as he'd decided before - but too bad the part of her that mattered most was missing. It truly hit the agent at that moment that Joo Dee was not a nobody; she was a mystery.

Who was hidden beneath that artificial grin, and who still remembered her?

The agent felt stupidest for being curious about it.

O/O

_It was a sudden downpour, an unannounced flood from the sky. No one had seen it coming, and everyone out on the streets was drenched within seconds. _

_He spotted her right as the downpour began. Today's visit to the Lower Ring was a surprise, as he'd gotten off duty early and hadn't told her yet. His original plan was just to pop up at her door; even that was probably enough to make her smile. As he caught glimpse of her auburn hair darkening with rainwater, however, he had a better idea. _

_She'd just begun to pace towards the nearest shelter when she felt his crisp, cone-shaped hat slip quietly over her head. With the rain droplets no longer hitting her face and hindering her vision, she turned in surprise to discover the emerald-robed figure that had appeared behind her with a silly grin._

"_Yuhan!" she gasped, her surprise quickly growing into a warm smile that lit up her entire face. There was something about the way she looked at him right at that moment, something bright enough to dispel all the rain and its gloomy colors. He felt himself smiling, too, as he reached down and gently took her hand into his. _

_It was the only time he remembered ever enjoying the rain. _

…

The world was rocking slowly, back and forth…back and forth…

Yuhan opened his sunken eyes to three glowing white spheres in the night sky, which circled around each other for a good while before finally settling into one full moon. It was plain to anyone who looked that he was deteriorating by the hour. Iroh and Piandao had tried their very best, and their strange connections around the world somehow landed him on the deck of a private ship alongside the Fire Nation general. Almost there, the old tea brewer kept telling him. The Northern Water Tribe was a beautiful place. He had to try their seaweed noodles. He had to see the city under a full moon. So many exciting things he simply had to stay awake for.

But no amount of hope or encouragement could hide the fact that blood poisoning was a swift invader. Yuhan had grown too weak for speech some time ago, and during these final hours he could hardly remember anything about his life at all, let alone think. There were only those strange, sweet little bits of light that flickered within his dreams, like the smile that could turn rain beautiful. Or that soothing voice that kept telling him not to cry, to keep his chin up…

Oh, well… None of it really mattered now. He was getting really tired, and maybe it was finally time for the nice, long nap he'd always needed. One so nice and relaxing that he wouldn't have to wake up again. With the full moon glowing brightly, and with the seconds ticking away, Yuhan's pale face began to relax as the peace of sleep slowly drew nearer and nearer. For the first time, he didn't mind where his life was headed. What could he have done by sticking around, anyway? Riya might've been alive and in need of help, maybe, but who was the reason she needed to be saved in the first place? And if he'd just kept his distance from people, isolated himself from the world, perhaps…his father would still have a wife. His mother wouldn't have needed to suffer. Lots of people would be happier in general. Iroh was right about there being plenty of light in his life…but the funny thing was, all that light was safest away from him. Sleeping now wasn't such a bad idea if he wanted to protect it…

"Yuhan."

His body twitched a little as someone grabbed onto one of his battered arms and set off the excruciating fire. Interesting, though, how even the pain in his arms was growing duller by the second.

"Yuhan. Listen to me." He recognized Iroh's voice, but the sound was fading in and out, flickering like a suffocating candle flame inside of a jar vacuum. "You are needed, do you understand?" Even the old general's voice had grown unnaturally stern. "Riya's existence is preserved in your memories, and you must live to remind the world who she is. If you leave now, those memories will vanish with you, and so will she!"

Iroh's words drifted uselessly past his ears. It was getting harder and harder to hear anything, or even see anything, really…. Even the ship's blaring horn of arrival at their destination sounded like no more than a faint buzz. There was a lot of yelling around him. He felt the stretcher beneath him lift away from the ground, allowing the icy cold air to whiz past his face as he was carried.

The chaotic mess of voices around him slowly dimmed as the world Yuhan's fingers used their last bit of strength to curl slowly around three little discs that adorned the woven leather bands that encircled his wrist. His eyes shut at last and suddenly, all he could think of was her voice.

_The gold crystal was carved into the four nations to bring protection to whoever wears it. The spirits of all four elements, after all, are the creators of life… If you have a pure heart, they'll answer your prayers and look after you. _

A few meters away, Iroh's eyes began to well with tears as he watched the broken Peace Orator smile softly. He knew who the emerald eyes were looking at behind those closed lids. "Yuhan…I beg you…. Open your eyes, and you will see her standing right before you. The day will come! Don't give up now. You still have so much light to give…" The water began to glow with blinding blue as it circled Yuhan's tranquil face, and the healers were panicking.

_Riya… What was that you said about a pure heart? That someone would look after us? Heh…just look at us now…look what I've done…_

The peculiar golden disc seemed to light up with the water as Yuhan's limp body was lowered further into the crystal-clear pool.

Everything went still.

Oh, it was definitely time. It was clear the moment Yuhan looked upon the elderly face he'd always known would be waiting for him here. Ah yes, this was exactly how he'd always imagined it. "It's been a while, old buddy," chuckled the Peace Orator.

The aged, fallen rebel of the Dai Li returned the smile, though his cheekbone was no longer misplaced and his embroidered green robes were far grander than the ragged ones that he'd been murdered in seven years ago. "You've grown up," he replied pleasantly. Yuhan nodded sheepishly in acknowledgement as the old man stroked his beard in a strangely quizzical manner. "But… it's too early to be hanging around here, you know." He simply shrugged as Yuhan stared back. "You're still just a kid, after all. Waste of years, if you ask me."

It was the last thing he'd have expected to hear from the face of his nightmares, the embodiment of all the shame he'd ever felt in his life as a Dai Li agent. A bewildered Yuhan could only sputter back, "Wait…w-what? Don't you, like, hate me and want to curse my life, I mean, I'm not stopping you or anything – "

"Well, I was wrong, boy. Let's just put it that way." The old rebel crossed his arms with a solemn smile. "You're different than the others. You always were. Now go back and show them how it's done."

The emerald eyes gawking back stretched wider than the moon. Yuhan had no idea what to think anymore. Everything he thought he knew about his crimes, all the darkness, all the punishment he deserved…it had all just become very confusing. "I…what…? I don't get it -"

"You'll figure it out later. Now get out of here while you can, shoo!"

…

Something had changed. The healers suddenly cheered with outbursts of surprise when their patient's pulse miraculously picked up again, sending streams of strong, healthy chi throughout his body. Meanwhile, General Iroh stood at the edge of the oasis, watching curiously as the strange stone adorning Yuhan's wrist glowed beneath the water like a brilliant, tiny sun.

O/O

Hiroshu grinned as he leaned back against a polished desk in the old Dai Li headquarters, unrolling a thick scroll that he'd finally managed to get his hands on. He still had no idea why he was so obsessed with this quest for knowledge, but he didn't care anymore. "So," he began casually, scanning over the first few lines of parchment, "You're sure this is the right one?"

A young woman in yellow, glowing with radiant, healthy skin and brilliant green eyes, bowed in response. "Yes, Agent Leung. The file you hold specifies the details of Joo Dee #367." She made sure to flash her teeth nice and wide. "And I am Joo Dee #367!"

Even though her grin was creepy as Koh's Realm, Hiroshu looked back up at her with a little smile. All traces of disease had vanished in a matter of days. It was amazing how quickly such huge problems could be fixed with just a little kindness. And yep, Joo Dee was definitely a pretty girl – a _really_ pretty girl, actually – in her natural health. He still liked his new office assistant even if both of them had no idea who she was.

Well…_almost _no idea. Hiroshu smirked when he finally found it inside of the elegant scroll. "Say, Joo Dee #367!" he called casually. "What do you think of the name 'Suyin?' Less boring than yours, maybe?"

The young woman was naturally puzzled. "…But my name is Joo Dee," she replied automatically.

Hiroshu let out a soft chuckle. "'Course it is…but I think I like 'Suyin' better." He went silent as he gazed intently at the parchment in his hands, his sage green eyes glowing mysteriously.

…

Yuhan had been tucked into yet another bed, only this one had strange, crystalline accents with shiny sheets of blue and violet. The wide window next to him framed the starry sky outside, and the bright moonlight lit up the majestic city of ice below. Yuhan was still too tired to move much, but he could actually keep his eyes open and appreciate the elegant architecture of the Northern Water Tribe without getting a headache. The world also spun considerably less these days.

An extra cheerful Iroh sat next to the bed, with his usual pot of hot tea resting upon the glass bedside table in case Yuhan ever accepted his offer to share. "It is a great joy to have you here among us, my friend!" said the old general, taking a happy sip from his teacup. "I'm also glad that the spirits have looked upon you kindly. Your fate rested within their judgment the moment you were placed into the holy Oasis of this tribe, and you awoke. It was a risk that few would take, but your life had been beyond the help of human hands…and I knew that even the spirits would see the light within you." He smiled so widely that Yuhan could practically see every tooth reflecting beneath the moonlight. "Well, how do you feel?"

The earthbender peered back with a strange, unreadable expression. "…I feel weird." The truth was that he had no idea what was going on anymore. He'd literally been dragged away from the world he knew. Nothing was familiar anymore, and he had no idea what to think of all this spiritual mumbo jumbo.

Iroh brushed off the statement with a laugh. "Oh, of course it will take many sessions for your full recovery. There is still much damage to fix, even within your memories. And your arms will most definitely be a challenge…"

Yuhan gazed incredulously towards the tight braces holding all the fragments in place within his arms. One of his brows rose above his skeptical eyes. These people were seriously going to try fixing his arms?

"Anyway, I must leave you tonight to meet with a good friend of mine who lives here," said Iroh. "He is one of the world's finest waterbenders, and you should come watch some of the beautiful things he and his students can do! The graceful art is a wondrous spectacle for all, especially to a young man who's never set foot outside the Earth Kingdom capital." Realizing that Yuhan didn't feel like replying, however, the old general stood up, stretching and yawning loudly for a good few seconds. "Well, goodnight then, my friend. I'm sure your time here will brighten you up in no time!" He reached down and gently patted the doubtful earthbender on the shoulder. "There is so much for you to look forward to, Yuhan. Can't you see it?" Iroh turned towards the window with a deep sigh, closing his eyes contently. "The world is moving towards a better place. I can feel it."

…

"_The time has come at last for the darkness of the past to give way to light…"_

With the green glow of his desk's crystal lantern illuminating his face, Hiroshu read report after report, studying late into the night and even forgetting that he hadn't eaten dinner.

"Do you require any more assistance, sir?" Joo Dee called from across the room. She'd been standing statue-still at her post for hours, which unfortunately couldn't be helped since that was her default under lack of any commands.

Hiroshu looked up from his desk with a sigh, rubbing his weary eyes. "I told you already, I'm fine. You should really go to sleep."

Joo Dee shook her head as her grin widened. "It is my responsibility to be on standby during all work hours of the Dai Li. I am happy to ensure that no needs of yours will be overlooked, Agent Leung."

The Dai Li agent shook his head to himself as he sighed again and slumped over on an elbow. "What if I 'need' you to go get some sleep?"

Joo Dee cocked her head a little. "I do not quite understand how your needs should correlate with my hours of slumber…"

Hiroshu rolled his eyes. "Then what if I gave you an order?"

The young woman immediately grinned again. "I honor all commands from the Dai Li with my life."

"Awesome," replied the dull-faced agent, hunching back over his desk as he flipped his documents. "Well then, I feel like ordering you to go to sleep."

"For how long, sir?"

An exasperated Hiroshu accidentally crumpled some of the parchment between his stone-covered fingers. "Eight. Full. Hours," he replied through gritted teeth.

"Understood, sir." Joo Dee obediently marched away, though she automatically turned towards her superior and bowed gracefully before opening the door. "Goodnight, Agent Leung."

Hiroshu made no reply as he watched her slender figure slip away from sight. After a moment of silence, he looked back down towards his document and carefully pulled out a flat, rounded artifact from inside an envelope that had been marked, "undetermined." All of his documents had been stamped with the same character. The Dai Li had specified that this was a non-urgent investigation, that the potential problem was notable but lacking too much plausible evidence for any definite conclusions.

The young agent slowly turned the little pai sho tile back and forth between his stony fingers, sometimes tracing along the lines of white lotus flower that adorned it. The seemingly random board game piece had been found in one of the Dai Li's brainwashed rebels. The organization could never figure out the pattern behind its presence – and that was the very nature of the tile that alarmed them. It was known to appear literally anywhere, from anyone, and some agents had begun to develop a paranoid theory about an international cult with potential members anywhere in the world. And of course, the Dai Li naturally feared any foreign influences in Ba Sing Se or the possibility of some vast organization operating right under their noses.

Hiroshu decided to go for it anyway. The agent lifted the polished tile above his face so that the gleam of his crystal lantern illuminated the lotus with bright green. He honestly had no idea what any of it meant, either, but he was strangely drawn to the idea of some group that, according to his scattered documents, appeared to appreciate the value of equality and were willing to lend any nation a hand to achieve it.

Hmmm…could there actually be an organized lot somewhere that wasn't a fan of censorship, Fire Nation dominance, or any hindrance of freedom in general? Like brainwashing? The Dai Li agent slowly slipped the game piece into his sleeve.

…

The soft rays of the full moon glowed within Yuhan's emerald eyes as he watched the sky beyond his window, counting the stars late into the night. It was a bittersweet image, the same full moon he'd shared with Riya, yet a cold and glossy city below that was completely foreign to him.

But tonight, that moon seemed to shine brighter than usual. It was a steady, constant light that stayed true through the years, no matter how drastically the dark world beneath might change. There were days the moon was no more than a little sliver, days it was bright enough to be a second sun, and some rare days in which it was completely absent. Its light was not perfect every night, not always enough to defy the dark sky. Even so, the shadowy world beneath knew that the light would always come back, that it would always try to illuminate the night with its gentle rays. The moon was faithful. Forgiving.

Something began within the former agent's mind that night, something he didn't quite understand yet. His eyes grew heavy as he gazed wistfully into the full moon.

….

Beneath the wide sleeves of his emerald uniform, the white lotus tile twirled about Hiroshu's stone-covered fingers as he looked ahead with a strange smile.

He didn't know whether to be amazed or frightened at how many of them had already managed to slip into Ba Sing Se as soon as the Fire Nation had declared victory. Well sure, the walls were a bit easier to sneak into these days with that gaping hole his own organization had created – but still. Those guys were very real, and they were good.

It was the most bizarre sensation. Hiroshu had never felt so accomplished in his life, and it made him unnaturally cheery. He also assumed way too casually that he could probably die any moment for his insanity. The Dai Li was good at catching onto things…but whatever. Better to die with a purpose than to live in disgrace. Hiroshu simply decided that he was going to do whatever he wanted from now on.

He was going to find out who had once called herself Suyin.

The agent whistled merrily as he returned to headquarters that night with his pai sho tile.

….

For the first time in many years, Yuhan fell into a long, peaceful sleep. There was no haggard old man, no promises that he would pay for all his disgraceful crimes. There was no grinning Joo Dee, no more deceiving visions with daggers. There weren't even any Dai Li agents left, no one dragging away the dead bodies of those he loved. There was only the bright moon glowing above his head, and a promise that it would always be there if he just remembered to look up at the sky whenever the world grew dark.

Yuhan didn't know how to feel about all this forgiveness, this unconditional faith. The light was too kind, and he didn't know what to do. It also didn't help that his mind wasn't completely coherent yet; one did not simply become un-brainwashed after a little dip in a glowing pool of water. Even so, he was getting the feeling that there was some weird, crazy destiny that was expected of him. Something that way too many people assumed he was capable of.

Bah…nothing really made sense anymore. But even so, the deranged traitor of the Dai Li had begun to notice that all the little rays of kind, forgiving light in his life seemed to be gathering in one direction. Whether it was a pep talk from an old tea brewer, a dead rebel shooing him back to life, or even the mother that would never stop being proud of him…their hopes for the future strangely met at the same place in the end.

He had to bring back Riya.

To restore the smile that could make rain beautiful was to liberate Ba Sing Se. To make a Joo Dee remember her real name was to destroy the very heart of the Dai Li's curse. And…to be able to hold in his arms the girl he loved was to honor his mother's sacrifice.

Riya was still out there, and he wanted her back dearly. It was the one part of his destiny that everyone seemed to agree on.

O/O

Deep within the heart of the Earth Kingdom, Joo Dee sighed contently as she took in the glorious city around her. Oh, how utterly perfect Ba Sing Se was. Just being here in the grand capital was enough to make her happy.

During these quiet days, the young woman loved to watch the city late at night, to peer out the dirty window of the old warehouse that sheltered her when no one else was looking. Her hazel eyes would marvel with awe as she observed the wonders of Ba Sing Se. Those who walked in old, battered robes kept their heads low in recognition that they were least important citizens. Those with fine, expensive clothing spoke boldly to honor the authority that the city had granted them. Those sharing her uniform were always smiling. And those with pointed green hats never smiled.

So many people! So many rules! So many faces and mysteries within this perfect city. Joo Dee was alone in her warehouse, but she felt far from it. She loved Ba Sing Se so much that it was the only company she needed.

The only thing she loved more than the city, however, was following orders. In fact, the longer she stayed hidden in this shelter, the happier she became. Every day that passed was another day she successfully honored the commands of the Dai Li. Agent Leung was simply going to be thrilled when he found out how precisely she'd obeyed his wishes. Oh, she just couldn't wait for that day. The greatest joy she knew was the praise of a superior.

Joo Dee was grinning uncontrollably in her excitement, her auburn hair brushing her shoulders a bit as she leaned her elbows onto the dirty windowsill. Yes, that day was going to be simply wonderful. All she had to do was wait for Agent Tsen to appear, and then Agent Leung would see just how perfectly she'd stayed hidden from everyone in the city. When Agent Tsen arrived, her duty would be fulfilled at last. It would be the most perfectly obeyed command in the most perfect city.

Agent Tsen…

For the briefest moment, Joo Dee's grin wavered. There it was again, that strange little flutter within her chest she could never understand. It always disappeared as quickly as it came. And it was during these fleeting moments that an unfathomable possibility crossed her mind. Why was it that every time she imagined that bright, wonderful day…there was something more than a successful command? Stranger yet, why did it sometimes feel like Agent Tsen himself – not just his presence – had something to do with how excited she was?

Joo Dee suddenly laughed out loud, her grin stretching wider than ever as she shook her head. Oh, of course she would be happy to see Agent Tsen. Ba Sing Se was her happiness, and Agent Tsen was from the most perfect part of the most perfect city in the world. Her love for her city reached out to everything and everyone within its walls. And ah! She suddenly remembered why she always ended up paying more attention to Agent Tsen in particular.

It was duty!

Yes, that agent was always giving her chances to correct him, to uphold the rules of Ba Sing Se. The truth was that Agent Yuhan Tsen was a very odd cultural protector. He upheld the rules, but he did not love the rules. He was obedient to authority, but he did not adore authority. He could perform tasks that the rest of the organization couldn't, yet failed at all the rules that were too trivial to even punish. And Joo Dee could never understand why he struggled with the easiest, most effortless rule of them all: maintaining a sophisticated appearance without any unprofessional displays of emotion. Especially that time he _very_ unprofessionally grabbed her into his arms –

The young woman went still when the little flutter suddenly brushed her chest again. And once again, she hadn't the slightest clue what it was. She sat down quietly, resting her back against the stained wall as she looked back upon her memories of Agent Tsen. As usual, none of the memories could explain the flutter, and all she really learned from them was how many times she'd had to correct him about duty.

Joo Dee concluded simply that night that she would be looking forward to the day she would resume the reinforcement of Agent Tsen's loyalty to the Dai Li. It was her duty, after all, to correct even the smallest rules. After following Agent Leung's orders, she had to make sure Agent Tsen remembered his own. There was nothing more to her happiness, nothing beyond her loyalty to Ba Sing Se.

…Even if she had to admit his strong arms around her had felt rather nice.


	23. Mourning Son

After nearly a year, I finally found time to write again! Huzzah! Gawd, it's been such a busy year. I hope this chapter lives up to the previous ones, since it's been such a while since I've picked up the pen again! Let's see how it goes...

* * *

><p>"You've gotta try this, Suyin."<p>

A slender young woman simply grinned as her rigid hands remained folded in her lap. Her eyes were wandering about the fancy restaurant, admiring the architecture of her perfect city. They eventually settled back upon the Dai Li agent sitting across the table, and she suddenly realized that he was trying to talk to her. "…I apologize. Were you addressing me, sir?"

"(Sigh) You've got to try this, _Joo Dee._" Hiroshu repeated, rolling his eyes as he lifted a shumai dumpling before her with his chopsticks. "Geez, you really don't respond to any other name, do you?" With that, he stuffed the entire dumpling into his mouth.

There was a very generous order of dim sum all over their table, the separate little plates ranging from dumplings to crab cakes to egg custards. Hiroshu's appetite was as impressive as his salary, after all.

Joo Dee simply smiled, her posture as stiff and mechanic as ever. "I will not consume any goods you purchased with your own money, sir," she told him. "Those resources belong to you." Her bright green eyes were annoyingly chipper.

"I don't care. You need to try some of these dumplings." Hiroshu was staring her down as if it were a matter of life or death. "They're too amazing not to try. Your life will be more fulfilled if you eat them."

"Sir, I respectfully refuse to take anything that is yours, including food."

His sage green eyes flared. "That's an order."

"I would happy to consume some of your food, sir."

Hiroshu shook his head with a chuckle as Joo Dee enthusiastically separated her chopsticks and picked a generous heaping of dumplings onto her plate, one by one.

It was one of many awkward lunches for which no agent besides Hiroshu could see any appeal. His new errand girl had become known before long; she tagged along with him pretty much everywhere he went in the city. The agents found it amusing, if not weird, though they believed that he honestly just needed a replacement for his fired patrol partner. (In other words, someone else who could survive his endless ramblings about food.)

Joo Dee chewed her expensive meal very mechanically, sitting rigidly upright the entire time and never even looking down whenever she picked up the next dumping to eat. She eventually finished and folded her hands back into her lap with a grin. "Any other requests, sir?"

"Oh, come on!" cried the Dai Li agent, throwing his stony hands up across from her. "No reaction at all? Weren't those the most amazing shumai you've ever had the joy of tasting?"

"Of course they were, sir." Joo Dee grinned even wider at his skeptical eyes.

"You're just saying that because you think that's what I want you to say." Hiroshu pointed an accusatory chopstick in her direction.

Her shiny brown hair brushed her shoulders as she cocked her head slightly to the side. "I'm sorry, did you expect me to judge the food otherwise?" she asked innocently. "I can deem it distasteful if you'd like."

"…You're hopeless."

"I apologize, sir."

Hiroshu casually shrugged it off. "Can't be helped." He paused somewhere in the middle of eating his egg custard when his gaze fell upon the window. "Hey, I know a cool place to hang out after this! Wanna check it out?"

"Of course, sir."

"…You're just saying that because I want to."

"Would you like me to say no?"

"…"

O/O

_Yuhan's face dropped when the clearing came into view – the one that sported in its center an extremely dull, boring night fountain. Not a single candle was lit, and it was probably his organization's own fault. On certain nights, the Dai Li were paranoid enough of rebellion possibilities that they even found "preventing chances for easy torches" logical. Ergo, the Firelight Fountain was too dangerous. _

_Those uptight idiots! He let out a groan of disappointment. _

_A gentle hand, still clasped within his own, gave a little squeeze. "Yuhan, it's okay." No amount of disappointment over the fountain could dampen the warm feeling inside when he looked down at her face, into her soft hazel eyes. "This place is wonderful with or without the candles lit. I mean, it's always going to be, if…" Riya looked down with her shy confession, her cheeks flushing the slightest pink. "If I'm with you." _

_The reflection of the moon glistened within his eyes. "Riya…" Yuhan couldn't help the silly smile that stretched across his face. Turning away from her, though, he glared back towards the failure of a fountain. Riya deserved better than this! This whole blasted city was nowhere beautiful enough to be worthy of her, but the least it could do was cooperate with him for one measly fountain. "I still want you to see the candles when they're lit," he insisted. "It's just like the panda lilies; you see, a special girl deserves – erm…" He paused awkwardly as the butterflies returned, which only grew worse when she smiled at him. "Well, I'm going to make sure you see it." _

_With that, he released her hand – ever so softly – and stomped indignantly towards the fountain. Whipping out a dull pair of spark rocks from his pocket, he raised a foot to rest on the polished edge of the tiles, hunched over the water, and began to light the candles. One by one. _

_Behind him, Riya couldn't hold back her giggle by the time he attempted the 5__th__ candle, which drifted off too far in its little boat and almost caused him to trip into the water from his pursuit. His arms waved about wildly to regain balance before he hopped backwards just in time. Riya quietly made her way back to his side as he sighed loudly, his shoulders slumped. "That was very sweet, Yuhan. The – well, four candles you lit." She took his hand again and followed with a little kiss on his cheek. "They're beautiful." _

_He smiled halfheartedly in return as he tossed the spark rocks into the water. "…Thanks." Gazing at the circle of ripples that spread out from the impact, however, something suddenly occurred to him. He slapped a hand very loudly over his face. The stone of his glove made the impact quite painful, much to Riya's alarm. "Spirits, I'm an idiot!" he exclaimed, giving his forehead another slap before she could stop him. "Of course! Idiot!" _

"_Yuhan…?" Something about the crazy flash of glee in his eyes made Riya sincerely worry for him. "Yuhan," she repeated sternly, "I really don't need to see the entire fountain lit. Especially not if it's going to take you a long time –"_

"_Hah!" he cut in, the smugness of his smile worrying her even more. "A long time?" Yuhan raised his free hand, his fingers flattening upwards as if lifting a pillow. The dripping spark rocks reemerged from the water, floating high into the air. "Who said anything about it taking a long time?" With a clench of his fist followed by a quick flick of all his digits, the green stone crumbled into several fragments. The little shards zoomed all over the courtyard and flitted about the fountain, until every single candlewick sported a hovering pair above it. Yuhan looked back down at his girl with a grin. "This actually only takes a second." _

_The courtyard came to life as he finished the sentence. The candle flames danced in unison as they came to life between all the miniature spark rocks, and the warm light filled the fountain, the surrounding lampposts, and Riya's eyes as she gasped in awe. "Oh, Yuhan…" Both her hands slowly covered her mouth as she took in the breathtaking scene. _

_He turned to face her, and their eyes slowly met again. As he reached forward to tuck a stray lock of auburn behind her ear, her hands slipped back down from her lips and came to a rest against his chest, her fingers curling as he stroked her cheek. _

_She was literally glowing, and she was so, so beautiful. He savored every sensation as he caressed her face, drawing her closer and never forgetting the smooth, pure surface of her skin. Though his eyes were shut, he could feel her soft lips smiling beneath his own as they touched – _

CLUNK!

"Morning, lover boy."

Someone had dropped a pair of wooden beams next to his bed, and the sharp noise as they hit the floor woke Yuhan with a very unpleasant throb of his head. His sluggish eyes narrowed at the mocha-skinned face scrutinizing him from above. "Morning, grumpy girl."

The young woman rolled her turquoise eyes, rested a mitten-covered hand on the waist of her lavender coat. "Got your stretcher ready." One of her fur-trimmed boots lifted to point towards the beams, which sat a meter apart and spanned soft hide between them.

Before long, an unenthusiastic Yuhan and the equally dull waterbender made their way to the nearest healing hut, the former being carried along by a couple of helpers. The latter sported long, raven black hair braided to the side, and a zigzag-patterned headband adorned her head with two pom-poms resting above her ears. The long braid hanging over her shoulder had a wide tribal bead finishing off the tail. She flicked it occasionally, as if hoping some passerby would notice.

Doona was always this way. She was a short, slender young woman, delicate in the kind of way one admires an exquisite, fragile vase behind a glass case. As a former professional brain-analyzer/destroyer and all, Yuhan knew her type from the moment he looked upon her irritable face. She was young and sheltered, probably well off from the looks of it. As a Lower Ring-born citizen, Yuhan never wished poverty upon anyone – but an unfortunate side effect of living comfortably, on the other hand, was that it often spoiled people. Made them care about really random things…like Hiroshu and his food…

Doona gave a disapproving scoff at some water tribe girls walking along the other side of the icy river. "Ugh, hair loopies? Those are _so _mainstream."

"So are girls who call things mainstream," Yuhan commented from behind.

That was the closest thing to a conversation the two of them had the entire morning. Everything else was the usual protocol. He was laid down on his stomach so that his shoulders hung over the edge of his stretcher, allowing his limp arms to dip into the glowing fountain below. A bored Doona knelt beside him, drawing up the water with a graceful stroke of her arms, creating the illusion that it was alive and climbing up over his shoulders. "Where does it hurt?" The water began to glow white.

"Everywhere."

Doona rolled her eyes. "Yes, having every bone in your arm broken probably does hurt everywhere." There was an odd silence. "But I can't help you unless you tell me where it hurts most, okay?" she continued, a little softer.

"…Sure." Yuhan took in a deep breath and braced himself as he dared to twitch one of arms upwards, ever so slightly – and immediately regretted it. "OW – BLASTED REALM OF KOH, DAMMIT –"

The fire shot his nerves and burned through all of his veins like a cruel, ruthless tree of lightning bolts, and he'd have fallen facefirst into the pool had Doona not lunged and yanked him back in time. "Calm down!" she hissed, trying her best to keep the glowing water steady as she held him in place with her other arm. "Okay – does this help?" The glow seemed to concentrate into one spot beneath the water, compressing into a tight ball as it travelled slowly from his shoulder down to his forearm.

Yuhan's eyes, which had squeezed shut from the pain, slowly relaxed again as his healer worked. "Yeah… Can you hold it right there?" he mumbled, as the glowing ball hovered over his wrist.

"Not a problem," Doona replied, slowly loosening her grip around him when she was sure he'd regained his own balance. She shuffled a little as she repositioned both hands to focus the water around his wrist, then paused when she felt a familiar obstruction. Her face scrunched. "Your bracelet." There was no mistaking that strange little gold disc, its distorted reflection flashing at her through the water. Doona's voice suddenly picked up a curt note. "You know, the flow of energy between you and the water could go a lot faster if you'd take that blasted thing off for once -"

"FOR THE LAST TIME, the bracelet stays!" boomed Yuhan's voice, so loud and sudden that it startled his healer and caused the water around his arms to disperse with a plop. He'd twisted his head around to glare at her with the crazed, demented expression that the entire healing hut had come to dread.

There was a heavy silence that took hold of the entire room, then the sound of frantic footsteps approaching. "Doona!" snapped an elderly woman.

The healer turned around and immediately lowered her head. "Lady Yugoda."

Yuhan twisted his face away from the old woman he knew was scrutinizing them both from above. It hadn't taken him long to figure out that she was a healing figurehead around here – and she was one of the people he least wanted to see.

Yugoda was soft-spoken but stern, with her short gray hair pulled up into a tight half-bun framed by two thick loops of braid. Her age and wrinkles could never diminish the healer's light within her bright blue eyes, and her outfit stood out among the other healers due to the bright blue patterns that ran across its chest as well as the string of pointed teeth that adorned her neck. She glanced towards Yuhan for a moment before flicking her eyes back to his healer with a frown. "What did I tell you about being gentle with our patients?"

Doona lifted her arms to protest. "B-but I just – all I did was –"

"You have no idea what the boy has been through nor should you judge him for his preferences," cut in the old healer, crossing her arms. "As one of my most advanced students, I'd have expected some more patience from you."

"But –"

"That aside, I believe his session with you for today has reached its time. I'll be taking him under my care momentarily." Yugoda turned towards the nervous assistants that had been watching the scene. "Please escort young Mr. Tsen back to his room and allow him to rest. Have him ready by the Spirit Oasis within an hour." She smiled sadly as she faced her student again, who'd gone bitterly silent. "My dear, please understand. A healer is a bearer of light. Don't extinguish yours by falling prey to the darkness of others." She chuckled a little as both Yuhan and Doona shot disapproving scowls at each other.

O/O

The day stretched on as Hiroshu ran trivial errands here and there throughout the Rings of Ba Sing Se, with Joo Dee by his side smiling creepily as always. As the sun finally sank beneath the horizon and vanished from sight, stars began to sprinkle the night sky. The two eventually came to a stop before a splendid array of lanterns, which were suspended within a circular fountain and glowing throughout the clearing atop a ring of decorated posts.

"Ever seen this, Suyin? It's the Firelight Fountain." Hiroshu looked over and sighed at her oblivious eyes. "That question was meant for you, Joo Dee."

"Oh!" exclaimed the young woman, who'd been straightening out her scarf and looked up at the sound of her name. "I have studied the entire city's geography several times, sir. No location is unfamiliar to me, so yes, I know the Fire Fountain very well." She looked quite pleased with herself, though her grin faltered a bit when Hiroshu didn't smile back. "What is the matter, sir?"

The Dai Li agent gazed ahead at the little lights floating across the water, giving a long and wistful sigh. "I wish you could appreciate how pretty this is." The quiet sentence drifted into the night like the little wisps of smoke that the wind carried away from the candles.

…

"_I never knew how pretty that fountain was," she said breathlessly. They held hands as they strolled back into the shambles of the Lower Ring beneath the moonlight. _

"_Makes all the difference when it's lit, eh?" Yuhan puffed out his chest, milking every chance to enjoy the one evening in which he'd actually been smooth for once. He felt the damp end of a stem poking his forearm from inside his dark sleeve and held back a grin. _

_Riya came to a stop in front of her door, sighing as she always did in anticipation of his departure. She clasped his hand a little tighter. "S-so… How long this time?" Of course, she was referring to how long he'd be forced to stay holed up inside his headquarters. Free evenings like this one were a rare luxury. _

_She looked up when she felt his fingers slip away from hers – and when he replaced them with a long, smooth stem. Riya's gaze followed the green stalk up to the silky, curling petals of a freshly picked panda lily. She couldn't help smiling. _

"_I'll make Hiroshu cover for me at headquarters one of these days," said Yuhan, taking her hand again and gently folding her fingers over the stem. "All it takes is a box of dumplings to bribe him," he added with a chuckle. "But I'll be back sooner than you think, Riya. I…" He became aware of something very odd in the air as the hazel glow of her eyes locked with his emerald. Something warm and fuzzy, like the stars themselves had multiplied in the sky. Their fingers were entwined around the panda lily, and neither of them moved. "I…" The golden disc of his bracelet twinkled in the moonlight. "I…I'll come back for you soon, Riya. I promise." _

_Riya looked back down at the bloom of her panda lily, knowing that it would be the only proof for weeks that he'd ever been here. "Okay." _

_Yuhan bent down to kiss her forehead. Only the quiet rustling of petals as he finally let go of her hand seemed to whisper the words that he'd really meant to say. _

…

…_I promise… … _

"Yuhan?"

The voice was warm and gentle as can be, and yet his entire body stiffened up with terror at the very sound of it. Yugoda was only trying to help, he knew that, but he was simply too frightened to care. He tried to pretend that he was still asleep, though he knew she'd still have dragged him out either way.

"Yuhan, dear, it's time to visit the holy oasis." Yugoda was wiping away the cold beads of sweat that had already begun to run down his temples, trying her best to calm the wide, trembling eyes that stared back up at her.

The truth was that they were already inside the Spirit Oasis. Yuhan had recognized the lush grass brushing against his back immediately and knew he was trapped. The only way to get him inside here these days, after all, was sadly to carry him while he was unconscious from the previous healing session. Yugoda had laid him bare upon the grass, save for a woolly pair of trousers, and his stretcher was propped against the wall of the exit. His head lay about a meter away from the pond in the middle of the oasis, in which he could make out two strange shapes of black and white circling around each other.

Yugoda rested upon her knees, bowing low before the black and white shapes and murmuring a prayer. Then she straightened herself up, taking in a deep breath before drawing a thin tendril of water from the pond, her arms gliding through the air like delicate ribbons. Yuhan watched her silently, trying to remember the things he'd heard in his periods of half-consciousness about this oasis. Something about the moon and ocean spirits. He'd always doubted the legends, though he himself had been spooked that one evening he and Hiroshu witnessed the sky turn red, then pitch black in the middle of a late night patrol. Spirits were not to be trifled with.

He was supposedly blessed to be alive, thanks to said spirits. But he began to long for the alternative when he felt the cold water gather beneath his head, the current sweeping across his temples and blinding his vision with its glow.

"Are you ready?" Yugoda asked softly.

"No." Yuhan was trembling, whimpering his reply like a frightened child.

Yugoda brushed some of the sweaty locks of hair out of his eyes, with almost motherly tenderness. It reminded him of Ning, which only caused the tears to begin welling immediately. "I know it's hard for you, and I wish there were an easier way…but you have to be strong, dear." Yugoda smiled assuredly at him from above. "Be brave, and do not focus on the darkness in your life. Think of light, and think of happiness."

That was what she always told him before the nightmare began. Think happy. Yuhan tried his best to picture the glow of the fountain in Riya's eyes, her smile whenever he appeared with another panda lily, even her screeches of concern over his stubbornness not to leave the volcano alone…anything with Riya was happy….

"Yuhan, the Earth King has invited you to Lake Laogai."

Riya's face suddenly transformed within his own memory. It was horrifying. Her sweet eyes became hollow and possessed. The ugly yellow seemed to sweep over her humble outfit, the green scarf swirling around her neck like a chain. "The Earth King invites you to Lake Laogai," said Joo Dee, grinning at him from the darkness. "Won't you see to your duties?"

Yuhan spoke out loud, no longer aware of Yugoda's presence. "G-go away, Joo Dee," he tried to say with confidence, though she only laughed at his fear. "That's not even your name."

"Why do you resist? Don't you want this pain to be gone? All that matters is your duty," said Joo Dee, stroking a finger beneath his chin frighteningly slow. "All of your pain, all of that sadness, it can all be over in just a second…" she whispered, her painted red lips only millimeters away from his. "We can give you anything you want…I can be by your side, together in Ba Sing Se –"

"No!" Yuhan's eyes flared. His fingers somehow found his bracelet, gripping it tightly despite the wave of fire that automatically shot through his arm. "I want _Riya!_ Not you! Not you and your stupid lake – go party by yourself in Lake Laogai!"

Without warning, Joo Dee dissolved into thin air, and he suddenly realized that he was looking into the kind face of Yugoda, not the psycho in a yellow uniform. "Wonderful, Yuhan!" The healer was beaming with both pride and relief. "That was the fastest you've ever dispelled the mental trigger! It gives me great hope for the others in Ba Sing Se that you speak of, who are in need of help like you."

…

Joo Dee and Hiroshu stood there like awkward statues as the floating candles drifted across the shimmering water. The former merely smiled at everything around her since Ba Sing Se was of course, beautiful in every corner, while the latter seemed to be contemplating something difficult.

A sigh finally broke the silence. "Joo Dee?"

"Yes, sir?"

"I have an important task for you."

A task! The young woman immediately lit up with glee, and it was sadly the closest thing to a genuine reaction to anything Hiroshu had seen all day. "Anything you wish, sir! How may I assist you tonight?"

"Well… The Earth King has invited you to Lake Laogai." Hiroshu's eyes disappeared beneath the brim of his hat, too ashamed to face her as he uttered the command.

She went very still, almost causing the agent to shudder from the unnatural sound of her voice – even more unnatural than usual, that is. "I am honored to accept his invitation."

Hiroshu bit his lip, but there was no other way. "First, you must tell no one of this mission nor speak of it after you complete the task, not even to me. You'll forget about it all once it's done, understand?"

"Yes, sir."

He grimaced when it occurred to him that she'd stopped blinking from the moment he uttered the trigger. To imagine that his poor patrol partner used to have to see things like this every day, for hours… "So, I need you to find the location of a prisoner. He's, um… I believe he's still within the custody of the Dai Li."

Joo Dee was grinning – almost literally – from ear to ear. "That should be easy for me, sir!" she laughed. "We guides tend to the meals of Ba Sing Se's convicts daily."

"Exactly." Hiroshu could already feel the dreadful anxiety churning in the pit of his stomach.

O/O

Yuhan was shaking all over before the worst of it even began. His eyes squeezed shut, and he clasped the sympathetic hand Yugoda offered even if it wouldn't help much. "Try to stay calm, and it will hurt less every time," said the old healer. The water began to glow once more, like a dazzling pillow supporting the weight of his head. "Are you ready?"

"Never." Despite everything, he took in a heavy breath. "…But I have to."

"You are strong, child." Yugoda herself felt her heart breaking every time she had to begin this. "You are so strong, Yuhan, so determined... Just like your mother. Can you see her smiling at you, admiring what a brave boy she's raised?"

Yuhan's eyes cracked wide open. He was in another world – the dark, painful one he never wanted to visit again. No, his mother was nowhere to be found. Apparently she was supposed to be here, but all he saw was Riya with that cursed dagger.

"Goodnight, Agent Tsen."

Yuhan stared into her lifeless eyes as her crumpled body hit the ground, despite the pain that stabbed through his chest. "Y-you're not real. This didn't happen."

He almost cried out in terror shortly after finishing the sentence. After all, Joo Dee's death wasn't real – but someone else's was. There were two bloodshot eyes staring back at him. One was so swollen that it could hardly open any longer, while the other defied the sting of hot blood that constantly leaked down into it. The blood was dripping from a disheveled lock of black hair, originating from a deep gash somewhere in the scalp. "H-Hannie, dear…" Ning Tsen was forced to stay upright due to the agent holding her up by thick wad of hair; her body was otherwise battered and rendered useless.

"Mom!" he screamed. He felt himself uttering the words as if he were inside a nightmare, somehow reliving the memory of himself and his mother through his own eyes. "What did they do to you?!" The sickening realization that there was no way she'd leave this chamber alive drained suddenly drained the life out of his voice. "Oh, Spirits – M-mom…I never wanted this – I'm so sorry –"

"Don't cry, Hannie." Ning didn't really seem to be listening to anything he said, as if she were only aware that her little boy was in tears. "Shhh, it'll be alright… Don't cry. Don't say sorry." As she continued, though, it became harder to keep herself together. "You're a grown man, now, Yuhan. Be a big boy and don't cry in front of your mother." She had to swallow back a painful lump in her throat as her eyes went damp. "You're big and strong and you make me so, so proud…"

His flooded eyes flung more tears across the floor as his head shook rapidly. "I-I'm so sorry, Mom - I should've visited you more, I should've written every day –"

"Shhh, what did I just say about not apologizing?" Ning put on her best soothing voice, despite her own temptation to sob with him. "Listen to your mother – don't cry…"

"M-mom…" Yuhan couldn't stand it any longer. He wanted out. He didn't care what was the truth and what was false, he just wanted the pain to end –

"Hello, Agent Tsen."

He looked back up and would've jumped in fright at the sight of Joo Dee's grinning face, had he not been tied town to his chair. Oh Spirits, no…not the dagger again…

"Do you wish to accept your invitation to Lake Laogai, Agent Tsen? None of this has to happen. It can all be changed, in just a second…" Riya twirled the blade playfully between her fingers, taunting him with her own life as he haggardly stared back.

…

Yugoda gasped when she noticed his pupils dilating at an alarming rate. "Yuhan! Focus! Don't give into the false memories! You have to focus on where it hurts most, and that's where you'll find the truth!" The water concentrated beneath his head, its glow even brighter than before, but he was quickly slipping further and further away.

O/O

Green light illuminated the metallic complex, deep beneath the Palace grounds. The occasional chirp of a cave hopper echoed throughout the hallway, but the sound always seemed to dissolve eventually as if there simply weren't enough life to sustain it.

The stillness of the air down here was frightening. One wouldn't have even guessed that there was a prisoner hidden behind that rusty metal door. Hiroshu double-checked the roll of parchment in his hands, making sure that Joo Dee had found the right cell. It was actually the fifth or sixth time he double-checked; he was stalling, and his breaths were cold and nervous.

Finally, he forced himself to knock – which he didn't know why, since it wasn't as if he were visiting a neighbor. But he knocked anyway. And there was no answer.

Hiroshu sighed as he twisted the key inside the lock. The door felt ten times heavier than usual, or maybe he just really didn't want to open it. Yet, he knew it had to be done.

Two emerald irises peered back up at him as the green light cracked through the open door. They were tired and weary, tired of life itself, but they still had enough strength to fill with hate at the very sight of his uniform. And they stayed silent.

The agent didn't know what to say. He just gazed back in the heavy silence for a good few seconds.

"Hiroshu, right?" The prisoner spoke very slowly, his voice low and venomous.

"Y-yes. Mr. Tsen." Hiroshu already regretted being here.

"What do you want?" Yunxu Tsen's eyes narrowed into emerald daggers, much like Yuhan's threatening glares – only with a very real intention to kill.

What was he supposed to say? Was there even a good way to say it? Curse it all. Hiroshu mumbled the only thing he could think of. "Mr. Tsen, I…need to tell you something about your son."

Yunxu gave a cold, demented laugh that sent chills down the agent's spine. "My son?

You want to talk to me about my son? What, did you lot finally let him die?" he spat. The agent stared back in horror. "When's it my turn, eh?" Yunxu's eyes were still swollen from the tears of loss, and they immediately watered up again as soon as he finished the sentence. His hate, however, quickly hardened his face once more.

"N-no, Yuhan's not…dead, sir," Hiroshu stammered, his hands shaking as the prisoner glowered back. "I helped him. He's…somewhere safe right now. I think."

Yunxu turned his back to the agent with a loud clatter of his chains. "I'm not going to take anything you lot have to say seriously. After everything I've seen you do –"

"Mr. Tsen, I'm sorry!" Hiroshu blurted out. He just wanted to get this over with, and run far away from this place.

Yunxu rolled his eyes as he turned back around. "Oh sure, that fixes everything doesn't it?" He spat at the ground, centimeters away from the agent's feet.

"No, Mr. Tsen, I have to apologize and – I'm sorry about…" Hiroshu's head dropped as his shoulders sagged. "…Your wife. I'm so sorry."

Something dark and icy took hold of the entire cell at that moment. Yunxu's eyes glinted with a blackness too terrifying to put into words. "Don't you _dare_ mention Ning in front of me," he growled, shaking and boiling with rage. "I heard her, you know. I heard both of them – my own wife and son. They were in the cell next to me. _The whole time!"_

Hiroshu cringed at the broken sound of his voice. "I-I know, Mr. Tsen…" was all he could manage to say.

"Then for the love of the Spirits, what do you want?!" Yunxu's fists were balled so tightly that it caused his chains to tremble.

"I-I…it was… It was my fault, okay? It was mine. Not Yuhan's." Hiroshu spilled it all out in fear that he'd run away before he could finish.

Yunxu Tsen went deadly still.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Tsen. I'm sorry, I…" It was almost the same as when he'd had to break the news to Yuhan, the same demented emerald eyes staring back at him in disbelief. "They – you gotta understand, they were going to take Riya to punish him a-and I thought that if I hid her they'd stop trying b-but then…they took…" He lost the words when the prisoner slowly turned back around to face the wall and simply sat there. Still as a statue.

"Mr. Tsen…I…" Hiroshu wished that Yuhan's father would say something. Anything. Hit him at least. Yell back profanities. Express his hatred for the crime to his heart's desire. Anything. But there was only stillness. Only silence. It was excruciating.

The Dai Li agent staggered back out the door. Right before running, however, he murmured one last thing, more to himself than anyone else. "You raised a great son. Greater than I'll ever be."

Even after the door slammed shut, and after it was as dark as it was silent in the cell, Yunxu Tsen still didn't move a muscle. Didn't blink whatsoever. One might have thought that he simply passed away, sitting and facing the wall like that.

O/O

Yuhan slowly regained consciousness back inside his room, the small crystalline one with a single window looking out to the city below. Someone was pulling back the thick, navy curtains so that the morning sun reflected off the shiny facets of his bedpost.

"Morning." The girl was facing the window as she spoke, her hands resting over each other as she stood there. He didn't realize it was her until he noticed the side braid with the tribal bead.

"Oh – er, morning Doona." He shifted uncomfortably beneath his blankets as the healer turned to face him.

Doona was watching him with a peculiar gaze. "So. I heard about your session with Yugoda. Among other things. It explains a lot, I guess."

Yuhan turned his eyes away, a little embarrassed. "Oh… What about it?"

"You've…" Doona shuffled her feet in the silence. "You've really gone through a lot of crap, haven't you?"

Yuhan didn't know what to say.

The healer wasn't really waiting for an answer, anyway. She turned on her heel and paced back towards the door. She walked out, but then marched back in against her better judgment, her face twisted with some kind of frustration. "Yuhan, do you miss your mom?" she asked suddenly.

He was caught completely off-guard, and he practically recoiled. "Excuse me?"

"Well, do you?" She was resting a hand on her hip as if it were some everyday, annoying conversation.

The nerve of that girl! "_Well gee,_ what do you think? Wouldn't you?" Yuhan shot back.

Doona stood her ground. "Actually, I wouldn't know. My mom's been dead since the day I was born. Not much to miss."

Yuhan was taken aback. He suddenly forgot how to be angry, and he began to stammer. "Oh…I didn't know that you –"

"At least you had a mom to miss. You could try a little harder to remember her. I know I would."

Doona was gone before he could say another word. Only silence remained as his door shut behind her.

Yuhan slumped back into his pillow.

…

Hiroshu watched the morning sunrise, though it seemed like he wasn't really aware of his surroundings. His eyes stared forward as he slumped atop the wall of Ba Sing Se, his feet dangling off the edge. He peered down at the agrarian fields below, which were littered with various Fire Nation tents and vehicles that rolled across the grass like little ants.

"What is the matter, sir?" Joo Dee was sitting neatly next to him, with her automatic smile as always.

The Dai Li agent looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "Nothing."

"Okay!" She accepted the answer without a single protest and continued to sit next to him in silence.

Hiroshu leaned over onto his elbows, slowly resting his face upon his hands. "Suyin," he mumbled through the gaps in his fingers. "I have to leave the Ba Sing Se today. It's time for me to go back to the Fire Nation."

There was no answer.

"I was talking to you, Joo Dee."

The young woman nodded. "I am sorry that you have to leave this perfect city behind, sir."

"Really?" He lifted his skeptical face again to look at her directly.

"Yes."

Hiroshu shrugged. "Well, you'll have to take care of yourself til I get back, okay? Stay healthy and pretty and keep yourself out of trouble. That's an order."

"I am happy to oblige, sir!" Joo Dee clapped her hands together. "So will you be leaving Ba Sing Se right this instant? I can arrange for your transportation whenever you wish –"

"No, no… Not yet. I have one more stop to make." Hiroshu stared back down at the fields below.

"Where shall we head, then?"

Hiroshu smiled and shook his head. "I'm going alone this time. You just go back home and rest."

…

"_Don't cry, Hannie. Keep your chin up."_

Ning's eyes stubbornly refused to leak any tears, no matter how watery they were by now. Not even when she heard the sharp sound of a dagger leaving its sheath from behind her.

Her son, on the other hand, was breaking apart at the very sight of the blade. "Mom, no! No, please no…" he pleaded hopelessly, struggling in vain against his restraints for the hundredth time, oblivious to all the pain in his arms.

A sickly-sweet voice began to speak like a ghostly echo inside the chamber. "Do you wish to be free of this pain, Agent Tsen? Will you accept your invitation to Lake Laogai?"

His eyes red and wild with horror, Yuhan kept watching the blade as Ning's captor polished it carefully against his sleeve.

"Hannie. Listen to me." Ning addressed him sternly, staring hard into his eyes for the last time.

Yuhan didn't hear her. "Do you wish you accept your invitation?" Joo Dee purred into his ear. "Won't you come with me, Agent Tsen? Won't you leave your pain behind…?"

"Yuhan – my son. Look at me." It was astonishing, how well his mother could ignore the reflection of the blade but a few centimeters away.

He didn't care how pathetic he looked. His eyes squeezed shut, streaming the tears like an endless flood as he kept sobbing and shaking his head back and forth. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, Mom…" He began to remember everything he'd never thanked her for. His room back home that was always kept tidy, waiting for him to visit. Her constant letters that she'd left the imprints of her own lips on next to her signature, hoping that he'd actually press it against his forehead like she asked. All those times she pulled him down by his collar, just to straighten out his hat and tidy his hair, beaming at him as if he were the most beautiful child on earth…

_At least you had a mom to miss._

Doona's voice haunted him this time, and for some reason he decided not to listen to Joo Dee. Yes…that was right, wasn't it? He wanted to remember his mother. She'd given him a beautiful life, such beautiful memories…and he was going to preserve those memories, no matter how much it hurt. He slowly looked back up to face Ning.

His mother was smiling softly at him. It was the same, proud smile she always wore whenever she straightened his hat. "Yes, that's right…" she said soothingly. "Keep looking at me, Hannie. Listen to your mother…that's a good boy…" The tears finally began to stream down her face when he nodded feebly in reply. "Can you promise me something, Hannie?"

Yuhan choked a little when the blade came to a rest against her neck, his eyes burning with the salty flood. "S-sure, Mom. Anything." He knew that it was real this time. The memory, her smile, and even his tears were far more pure than anything he could recall about Joo Dee's death.

"Okay, Hannie… Promise me this." Ning's lips were trembling, her chest heaving. "W-when you see Riya again, you're going to tell her what a fabulous mother you had."

Yuhan didn't want to think about Riya. She was practically dead to the world, too. "Mom…I…about Riya –" He saw the reflection of the blade in Ning's eyes and stared back down at the ground with another sob. "Okay, fine…I'll do that. I-I promise."

"I wasn't finished yet!" Ning declared, her voice shrill. Her son looked back up with weary eyes. "You're going to tell Riya all about your wonderful, wonderful mother…and then you're going to take her hand…and tell her how much you love her…"

Yuhan nodded tearfully as she spoke.

"And then…" Ning somehow cracked a smile. "Y-you're going to marry her and raise my grandchildren. And you have to do it, because it's my dying wish."

He stared back at her incredulously. "M-mom…" he croaked. "What – I can't…how can you already be thinking about –"

"You said you could promise me anything!" she declared, her voice growing high and unnatural as the agent behind her tightened his grip around the handle of the dagger. "Do I have your word?"

Her son's eyes were frozen upon the dagger. The second agent standing beside him raised his hand to give the signal to her captor. The world was spinning around him as the last seconds began to tick away.

"Yuhan!" Ning screeched. "Listen to your mother! O-one last time…will you listen to your mother? Will you promise?"

Their eyes met again, for just that moment. Yuhan's shoulders were shaking uncontrollably as he finally nodded. Somewhere between his sobs, he barely made out the word, "Yes."

Ning sniffed and gave a single nod of approval, smiling as she took in every detail of his face. "That's my boy…my Yuhan…"

His breath froze inside his throat as he watched her smile.

"I'm so proud of you, Yuhan, my son…so, so proud…" Ning was looking at him so intently, her eyes glimmering as if he were her finest accomplishment, a job well done. It was time for her to retire. "Tell your father –"

The dagger hit its mark. Her body struck the ground before he even knew what happened.

And he began to scream.

O/O

The house was as he always remembered it. Tidy beyond all imagination, with every lavish detail polished to perfection. It stood upon a grassy hill, overlooking a splendid view of the Upper Ring.

"Hiro? Is that you?"

A short, stocky woman with sage green eyes and fair brown hair scurried out from the garden. She still held a watering can in one hand and held up her patterned apron with the other as she ran.

Hiroshu stared down at his feet.

_"Honey, what is it?"_ called another voice from inside the house.

"Our son's back!"

There was a loud crash as the second person barged out of the door. "Hiroshu's here? Where?"

The voices clamored around him as the excited footsteps drew nearer and nearer, but he couldn't stop staring at the grass below.

All at once however, everything grew strangely silent when his parents reached within a few meters of him. They just stood there, watching him and waiting for him to speak first. He could sense their fear, their uncertainty of what they were allowed to say to him.

His mother made the first attempt at conversation. "Hiro, sweetie…what brings you back?" She swallowed nervously. "H-how's the Fire Nation? Is it pretty?"

She flinched when he suddenly snapped his face up to look at her. "O-oh, I'm sure it's wonderful," she added quickly. "We've been real happy with the changes here. Our lives have never been better." It was as if she were afraid that he wasn't the only agent listening to her speak, that any word spoken wrong could be the end of her.

He couldn't speak. The agent simply stood there, watching the work of his own organization terrorizing his own family into false support of the Fire Nation. He thought of Yuhan, the only kid brave enough to try fighting back. He remembered the look in his eyes, freshly heartbroken, that night he turned to him and asked the forbidden question.

"_Hiroshu… Is this peace?" _

His mother was alarmed when her son, usually so bold and confident, staggered forward and collapsed into her arms, weeping like a small child. They both sank into the grass underneath his weight. "_Hiro!_ What's the matter, sweetie? Oh, Spirits..." She held him steady, letting him sob into her lap as she ran a soothing hand over his back. "Shhh, everything's going to be alright, my little Hiro...shhh..."

Both mother and father were equally confused as they glanced at one another in concern, with their weeping son being the only sound breaking the silence.

O/O

Doona held the water steady over his arms, concentrating the glow around his sore spots as usual. "You're awfully quiet today," she remarked.

"Yeah. I guess I don't have much to say." Yuhan looked up at her and sighed. "Except… Thank you."

She hadn't been expecting that. Doona leaned back a little, her eyes widened and her cheeks flushing involuntarily as she met his gaze. "Oh? Uhm, yeah. Sure. Anytime."

Yuhan slumped back down and faced the pool of water below, observing the reflection of his face. "I guess I really do need to try harder to get better. Sorry for being difficult."

Doona cleared her throat awkwardly. "Oh no, I mean I wasn't that understanding either –"

"I wasn't being easy for anyone to understand, Doona." Yuhan smiled grimly. Even so, she couldn't help noticing how different he looked when he smiled. How…nice he looked. "But anyway... Remembering what happened to my mom was hard, but it also made me remember that I have important things to do. It's going to be a rough road." He closed his eyes and thought of the Firelight Fountain, the panda lily, and Ba Sing Se, his home of imperfections.

_I'll come back for you soon, Riya. I promise. _

…

Hiroshu watched the rings of Ba Sing Se grow smaller and smaller below him, the clouds almost obscuring it from view.

An agent came up from behind. "Homesick already?"

He turned around and shrugged. "I'll definitely miss the food."

Quan laughed and shook his head. "Of course. Well, dinner's almost ready if you want to head inside with the rest of us. Airship engineers actually cook surprisingly well."

Hiroshu nodded and turned back around. He could make out the last traces of Ba Sing Se's rings disappearing from sight, his home of imperfections. A lot of imperfections. But it was home nonetheless. He could still feel his mother's parting kiss on his cheek. He was glad that he'd come back for her.

He would forever deny crying like a baby. Now was not the time to be a wimp. He had work to do. Hiroshu slipped his special Pai Sho tile out of his sleeve, flipped it in the air, and caught it again. Now was not the time for regrets.

For the first time, he thought about how proud his parents would be one day. And for some reason, he was positive that Suyin would be proud too.

He wasn't the only son looking up at the sky with grim determination at that moment.


End file.
